Blood Dawn
by Ravyn
Summary: In the Underworld where Vampires prey on Mankind and Werewolves stalk the shadows, human finds themselves caught between blood and extinction . But even more terrifying is the Battousai, ruler of the night. And he gets what he wants, and he wants Kaoru.
1. Chapter One

Finally have started to long process of going back and tweaking this story just a little.

So hopefully its a cleaner read. Have no idea when I am going to get to the next chapter but this one is done.

Ravyn

Warning: Violence.

Disclamer: I do not own RK.

* * *

Myogin Yahiko had quickly discovered a very important fact in his twelve years as a breathing human being. Fire was a bad thing to find yourself surrounded by. Especially when you were in your own home and choking on the thick smoke.

"_Busu_!" Yahiko yelled, attempting to not let the panic that was thundering through his system to echo in his words. He had a hard time finding the air to yell the words but he gritted his teeth and kept trying.

"Yahiko," the words where faint and a mere whisper against the sound of the flames licking the dry wood. He turned, his expression showing rapid panic. His face grew pale with shock when he noticed the growing stain on her side. She stumbled and hot flames flared behind her, eating her room into ash.

"_Busu_, don't you dare give up." Yahiko demanded in a voice tinged with terror. The flames where building again, this time around both of them. They had to get out.

Kaoru choose that moment to fall to her knees. Her breathing was labored from smoke and the pain of her wound. Yahiko noticed with horror that there was blood dripping from her clenched fingertips and falling onto her Yukata and the floor. He had to get her outside so he could see how bad it was.

"Kaoru," Yahiko desperately called out. Squaring his shoulders he helped his sister/mother to an almost upright position. They leaned against each other as they stumbled and even crawled at time to the hole in the remains of the delicate rice paper. Yahiko used his foot to make a whole big enough for both of them and they stumbled into the night air; gasping for the fresh oxygen.

Once Yahiko got them clear of the burning Dojo, he helped Kaoru to lie down, terrified and determined to see what damage had been done. Her eyes had gone glassy and he swallowed hard when a single drop of blood spilled from the corner of her lips.

"Kaoru?" He whispered. He didn't even have to look to know how bad it was and that he didn't have much time left with her.

She turned her head and met his eyes. Yahiko had never seen such an expression in human eyes before. They were still the same blue, and even fogged and glassy, her affection was clear. Not even his late mother had given him such a firm expression of her love for him.

"Yahiko," his name was so soft and spoken with such deliberate determination; as if it was difficult to pronounce things and she was using all of her stubbornness to form the words. Even then they were faintly slurred.

"Kaoru," Yahiko shakily replied. "You can't die. Kenshin won't forgive you."

A faint smile tugged at her bloodless lips. "Yahiko," again that deliberate forming of her words.

"I won't forgive you." He desperately replied, attempting to find anything to hold her to him. Anything.

Her glassy eyes cleared for a moment. "Yahiko. Please." There was faint hope there and he closed his eyes and then opened them.

Yahiko pulled in a deep breath. "Kaoru, please. Don't go. Please." He was begging now but he didn't care. He wasn't sure he would be able to loose his mother twice.

"I am sorry." The words where coming slower now, fainter with the edge of determination fading. "Tell Kenshin…."

Yahiko looked at her eyes and knew it was inevitable. He had already known it but the expression there confirmed it. He had seen it to many times in the past seven years not to know death with it came to take those he loved away. Yahiko swallowed and wiped his eyes; forcing his tears back.

He would be strong for his Kaoru. He watched as her eyes lifted toward her family Dojo and pain filled them, a different type of pain from what already ate at her. This was harder for her to take and tears sprang to her eyes.

A pain he knew that _he_ could fix.

"I'll remember."

She turned and looked at him with eyes that where fading fast. "I promise. I won't forget what you taught me. I won't let your Fathers teaching be forgotten." Yahiko's words were fierce and determined.

She smiled a small smile and closed her eyes. "Tell Kenshin…" He knew she believed him and he hoped it gave her some small comfort.

Yahiko leaned close. "Tell him what?"

"I...for.."

"Kaoru? Busu?" Yahiko reached out and touched her chest. There was nothing there. Taking a shuddering breath he closed his eyes and didn't try to fight the tears that streamed down his face until he heard a voice.

"Poor little girl."

Yahiko slowly raised his head and saw a figure wrapped in bandages. He was standing in the shadows, his face hidden but his eyes gleamed with malice; with glee.

"Tell Himura that this is a warning."

Yahiko bunched his hand into a fist. "A warning for what? Who are you?" Anger laced his words, but since Kaoru was in his lap he was not able challenge the man in front of him. He would never drop her back onto the ground to be discarded.

"Tell him Makoto Shishio will not forget him. Tell him that I will haunt his footsteps and he will never know a moment of peace as long as I live."

Yahiko watched as Shishio left, leaving behind only ashes of the once happy dojo where he had found a family.

Family's where meant to be avenged.

* * *

Kenshin watched the last of the smoke curl from the burnt dojo and felt his mouth twist into something that could only be called a snarl. She was gone. There was nothing left to hold her bright spirit to the earth and she had been taken from him. Shuddering, he held the hilt of his sword as title as he could in an attempt to gain control.

"Kenshin."

It was Yahiko. The boy had barely spoken a handful of words since the fire. It had been three days and Kenshin knew that the boy had been watching everyone with eyes that needed answers. He was certain what he had found in the changes his trip to Kyoto had wrought was not what he had been looking for. His 'family' was different now.

Kenshin turned and watched as Yahiko froze at what he saw.

His eyes were the color of molten gold that swirled around black pupils. They emotions burned hot: rage, hate, longing, and an eternal sadness so profound that Yahiko thought his own soul would shatter under the intensity of it.

Yahiko suddenly wondered if this was why loving Kenshin had terrified Kaoru. Raw emotion like that was difficult to understand. Raw emotion no other creature dared to match. Such intensity would burn them both up from the inside out.

Swallowing he squared his shoulders. "Kenshin, Kaoru wanted me to tell you something." Yahiko tried to keep his voice from breaking and failed. "She…she told me when…" He closed his eyes and swallowed.

Kenshin lowered his eyes so that his bangs covered his face. Hiding those eyes.

"She said she forgives you." Yahiko blurted out when he realized what his friend was doing. Yahiko watched Kenshin's muscles bunch till he thought they would just snap from the pressure. Yahiko feared Kenshin for a moment and feared even more the message he had to deliver.

He was saved when Sano walked over to stand at Kenshin's side. If anyone was going to get between them it was his crazy friend. "There was a man here," Yahiko finished softly.

Kenshin looked up then and Yahiko went still. He had never seen such hate in the Rurouni's eyes before.

"Who," the voice was soft but held a feral growl to the edges.

"He said his name was Makoto Shishio." Yahiko stumbled to a stop at the look that crossed both Sano's and Kenshin's faces. They knew who he was. They were furious.

Rage.

"What else Yahiko?" The softness had already bled from his tone.

"He said it was a warning. A warning and that he would never forget and he would always be in your shadows." Yahiko managed to croak out. He struggled to remember anything else and then kicked at the ground as he remembered Aoshi's note. "Aoshi sent a message ahead," Yahiko said quietly. "Someone attacked the Aoiya and in the fight Misao was killed. The only one killed." He felt the world spin dizzily as sharp, twin fangs dripped from Kenshin's upper lip.

Kami.

The noise that irrupted from Kenshin and Sano's throats where nothing short of growls and it sent chills down Yahiko's neck. The suspicion that had been eating at him since their return rolled down his spine: his friends were not human anymore.

If Kenshin ever had been.

Kenshin was in a full-blown Battousai rage and he knew it. His eyes were where so hot they were almost glowing in the warm sunshine. The sharp fangs were biting into his own bottom lip but he couldn't really care. He had his sharp nails digging into the palms of his hands so hard blood leaked from between his fingers and his knuckles were white with the pressure.

Yahiko looked at Sano and he struggled not to give into his instincts to fear. Sano's eyes were dark with the same fire and he was snarling with rage.

Like a wolf…

Yahiko later decided that it was Megumi's sudden presence that saved the innocents around them. She paused at what was left of the gate and stared with wide eyes, dropping the packages in her hands loudly.

She probably would have continued to stare except Sano launched himself forward. Megumi shrieked loudly as she found herself wrapped up in a set of long arms and gripped tightly against a strong chest.

"Sano!" Megumi snapped in a frightened voice. "Do you _mind_?"

Sano just buried his nose in her hair and breathed in deep. "He didn't get you." He whispered frantically. "You're safe and he didn't get you…"

Megumi tilted her head to look up at him and gave him an odd look. "Sano?"

Yahiko looked away soon after Sano kissed Megumi. They're where some things he just did not want to see. Instead, he looked at the man he had come to think of as almost a father and walked over to join him.

Kaoru had never feared Kenshin. As her only remaining student and heir to Kamiya Kasshin he would never fear him either. It was the one thing he had always been determined to learn. The courage Kaoru somehow always managed to display

He _would_ learn it.

First he had to get over the fact that his best friends had fangs.

"Kenshin?" Yahiko questioned, his tone soft and hesitant.

Kenshin looked up then and Yahiko blinked. He had never seen Kenshin cry before. Hot tears were filling his eyes and slowly falling down his cheeks.

"Yahiko," His tone was softer than earlier but still held some of the low rumble of anger in his tones. "There is much you wish to ask. We have the time." His eyes were pained and Yahiko wondered how much it was costing him to sit back on his heels for the moment.

Yahiko made a motion back towards Megumi and Sanosuke. "What about them."

Kenshin gave a pained smile. "Sano is just checking on his mate."

Yahiko blinked and grasped Kenshin by the sleeve of his gi and dragged him around the ashes of the dojo. He finally found a place that had less damage than the rest and pinned him with a look.

Some time later Yahiko stared at Kenshin with disbelief.

"So you're telling me you're a Vampire, but you won't need to drink anyone's blood; unless you find Kaoru again so you can claim her as your mate. You won't die and you have gone from god-like speed to simply god speed. The reason that Kaoru and Misao are dead is because Shishio wanted to make a point. If she was still alive you would have claimed her as your mate. Because you're a vampire and not a human." Yahiko ticked off each phrase on his fingers and looked back up and stared.

Kenshin gave a bitter laugh. " That sums it up nicely."

Yahiko continued to stare at him before nodding and giving him a determined look. "Change me."

Kenshin's head snapped in his direction. "Repeat that," he asked weakly.

Yahiko jaw was set. "I don't want to learn Hiten Mitsurgi Ryu. I know you can't teach it. I will learn the rest of the Kamiya Kasshin for Kaoru." Yahiko raised his eyes stubbornly. "You say that there is a chance of Kaoru being reborn."

Kenshin nodded slowly. It was the only reason he himself was still alive. The only reason he had to live. "Yes. The changes are slim," he admitted as he swallowed.

Yahiko shrugged. "Someone will need to teach her families teachings and I will. I will be there when she needs me in the future, and I will be able to protect." _Not like this time_.

It went unspoken between them.

Kenshin still hesitated. "Are you sure Yahiko? I did not have much of a choice in this that I did not. I do not want you to do this because you feel you have type of debt. Kaoru-dono..." He trailed off then and then continued. "_Kaoru_ would never forgive either of us for something like that."

Yahiko squared his shoulders. "Kenshin, please. I...do not want to live the rest of my life knowing I could have done something to repay her for her love and I _did not_."

Kenshin nodded his head. He had thought all lost when Hiko had told him what he must become to complete his training. He had not thought Shishio would attempt so insane a stunt and it had cost him the most precious thing in his life: Kaoru. His little female kendo instructor with more courage than good sense.

Yahiko had said it perfectly. Family was to be avenged.

First he would find the patience of the rurouni and wait till Yahiko grew strong enough to be changed. And then he would paint the walls of Tokyo red with Makoto Shishio's blood. For once he stepped onto this path, the path of the Battousai would be the only road left for him. Focusing his eyes on the setting sun he made his decisions. When it rose again it would be red with the future blood of Shishio and his followers.

He would make the dawn bleed.

He would step into his place at Hiko's side as the heir to this darkness no one could control. He would wait for Kaoru and then bind their souls so tightly she could never leave him again. He would wait.

For an eternity.


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two has now been tweaked.

Ravyn

Remember, violence!

* * *

Present Tokyo

_Cold amber. _

_She started, as if she had been slapped. The stinging in her cheek might have been proof of that; it could have been a mere change in the dreamscape. _

_It _shifted

_Gasping. Pulling for air, she watched as frantic eyes, young and brown; calling for her to come back. To say and not to leave him alone. He didn't want to be alone. . _

_She was gasping for air, attempting to find an answer or give an answer and searching. She needed him and he wasn't there. _

_He _wasn't _there.

* * *

_

Kaoru sat up with a start and stared at nothing with wide blue eyes. It was a long moment before she realized where she was and who else was in the two bedroom apartment with her. "Misao." Kaoru groaned to herself.

Forcing her shaky limbs to roll off the cheap futon and to find the floor; her pajama clad legs hitting with a _thunk_. Even in her tank top she was covered in sweat. It took her a moment to remember how to walk and then she managed to find the door.

The light in the kitchen was already on.

"Misao," Kaoru asked quietly as she entered the room.

The slim girl turned her own eyes wide dark pools of blue-green to her friend. She offered Kaoru a cup of the freshly made tea and both sighed as they sipped the warm brew.

"Dreams," Misao stated without really questioning her. They both knew the answer to the word she had spoken. Kaoru gave a curt nod and she sighed. "Me too, what was your this time?"

"Eyes," Kaoru whispered. "The eyes were amber." Her voice lowered until it was husky with uncertainty and thick with emotions she couldn't put her finger on. She gave her friend a tremulous look. "It was like they were trying to devour me whole or something." She sighed. "I sound like a teenage drama."

Misao snorted with laughter. "At least you got something besides a voice." She reminded her friend, her eyes sliding half-closed with remembrance. "That overwhelming feeling of…" she stopped and turned a dull red.

"Misao?" Kaoru questioned softly. Misao shook her head and took a sip of her tea.

Dreams or nightmares, the girls had been struggling with visions for as long as they could remember. They had started after they met in high school and when they had roomed together in College they had both woken with the realization that they both were terrified of them. They had no idea where they came from or how long they would last.

They were both having nightmares about something that writhed in the shadows.

"He felt like--" Misao started and then put her cup down and placed her cool fingers on her hot cheeks. Swallowing she started again. "Like he was terrified of hurting me that he felt I was something small and precious and delicate. I am not delicate." She peeked out from behind her fingers. "Is there a reason I can't find someone like that for real?"

Kaoru sighed. "I wonder sometimes Misao, if maybe we are just deranged." Kaoru grumped as she leaned back. "You want to find someone who has been stalking you for years through your dreams?"

Misao snickered and Kaoru felt a sigh of relief. Her friend just wasn't made to be gloomy. It was one of the things she loved the most about her. Kaoru narrowed her eyes at her almost hysterical friend and sighed. "You know I am getting sick of this."

Misao blinked at the hard tone her friend was using. Kaoru was always gun-ho on something but this, this was something she had not seen in her friend in a long time. She was certain it was the day she had realized her parents were actually gone.

Kaoru had buckled down and supported herself against the odds.

Misao found the same burning light in her friends eyes. Picking her tea mug back up she raised a brow. "So what are we going to do about it?"

Kaoru narrowed her eyes and sucked her bottom lip between her teeth. "We're going to find out who the hell they are and hurt them." She winked at her friend. "Hurt them badly."

Misao gave a shrieking laugh and looked at Kaoru in amusement. "How in the world do you plan on doing that? Find them and bash their heads in with a wooden stick?" Her voice was bubbling with laughter.

Kaoru shook her head. "No. There are other more painful ways to hurt someone." She stretched and yawned, winking at her friend as she went back to bed.

Misao was left shaking her head and giggling. Kaoru had a nasty temper but she rarely wanted to use it in a way that left someone bloodied on the proverbial side of the road.

Misao thought back to there collage days and her response to a few persistent males who wished to take her out on a few dates. Maybe it wasn't at all that rare that she wanted to hurt someone. Grinning she downed the last of her tea and skipped to bed.

* * *

Soujiro Seta tiredly placed his forefinger and this thumb on the bridge of his nose. Was he really cut out for this work? Ten years on the job and he still felt like he was constantly being hit by a truck every time he had an employee meeting. The headache so far was only a first branch meeting. He still had to deal with his Hit and Miss Teams and they were legendary for their bad tempers, excellence in forming alliances with the underground and were working against the vampire and werewolf uprisings. He needed to get his doctor to prescribe him something stronger.

It was his Search and Rescue teams that he took the most pride in. He had partnered several hand picked agents from both fields and put them in groups of twos. The agents had no need to slaughter the life of those they worked against but were more than capable if they had to. They worked to get the wives and children of the Underworld to safer homes to survive.

It didn't help that he felt like a glorified baby-sitter.

Plus he had to give the toughest case he had been given to a pair of wild women who would do what they wanted to do regardless of orders. The loop holes, webs and possible war would probably even entice them to break rules so they could save the child and completely ignore their own personal health. Again. Just to prove they were not delicate.

Delicate.

A word he would use to describe their frames and not their personalities.

"Hey Boss-man! Care for some coffee?" Misao's bright voice bright a smile or shiver to every face in the room. Misao no coffee was enough for him to declare an evacuation emergency. Kaoru without coffee was enough to elicit the same response.

Pausing he looked over his shoulder. Where was Kaoru?

"Morning Soujiro-San, feeling up to a day full of Misao?" Soujiro felt a sense of dread slowly fill his stomach. Kaoru sounded almost vengeful this morning. "Is that a new case for us?"

Her smile reached mega watt proportions as the trap snapped shut. "Did you know Misao has been up since about two this morning?" She asked casually as she handed him a Styrofoam cup of coffee and stalked into his office.

A wired Misao; _who_ had he killed and in _what_ past life.

Sighing he watched as Misao danced away from him and into his office and followed them. He almost wondered how they were going to react to something like this. If he knew the two, which he did; he had been responsible for their recruitment almost ten years ago, he would say it was going to be like blowing a fuse.

Fuses and wired Misao...best not think about it.

Soujiro walked over to his desk and sat down as he watched them lean back and sip their coffees with wicked smiles. He decided he should just get his whole problem over with.

"We have slight problem ladies." Soujiro told them firmly as he began digging around his desk for the documents.

Kaoru and Misao exchanged looks. "Soujiro-san, every conversation we ever have starts out with "we have a problem"; can you get a _little_ more creative in future conversations?" Kaoru asked irritably.

Misao nodded, silently agreeing with Kaoru. "Our creative edge is beginning to dull boss-man!" She exclaimed, waving one brightly manicured hand.

Soujiro sighed. "It involves a little girl. She is around three years of age and hybrid."

Kaoru sat up straight at that. "_Hybrid_?" She demanded in a surprised voice.

Misao blinked rapidly as she processed his words. "I didn't think that it was possible, Sou-chan. The only way vampires or werewolves can have children are with their mate; mates have to be changed. The magic of the child would kill the mother otherwise."

Soujiro nodded his head. "Except this time it was a female who decided to mate. She wanted a child and having a human as a father was only a small price to pay. Since the mother is full vampire the child lived."

Kaoru let out a low whistle. "But that means..."

Soujiro nodded. "You are aware of why most vampires are made aren't you?"

Misao nodded her face deadly serious. "Vampires are made because they are born with only certain small amounts of potential. They are the ones that the urban legends about Garlic and holy water killing vampires got started on."

"Right," Soujiro said tiredly. "A human is born with hi ki and is taught to use it and then turned into a vampire. It makes them something of a super-vamp. The most well known of those would be Battousai."

Kaoru frowned. "I thought the Battousai was just a rumor." Her tone was soft as her black eyes tucked over her brows.

Soujiro shook his head. "I wish he was. The man who was turned into the Battousai is not very well known. The dark-history books are attempting to link him with the Hitokiri Battousai from the Meiji Era. He was supposedly untouchable and something of a legend from those times." He shrugged. "If it's true lets hope we don't ever have to deal with him."

Kaoru blinked. "If they could not kill him then how are we supposed to get near him?"

Soujiro smiled then. "You're not. But you do need to know about him in case he decides to stick his nose into this affair." His voice was that of a man who had been told he was supposed to take out the trash.

Misao blinked. "He is still alive?"

Soujiro laughed. "As is his Master." He grinned at the girl. "We really don't know who long vampires live."

"There two of them?" Both women demanded.

Soujiro nodded. "Yes, Battousai was responsible for the destruction of the majority of Tokyo some 16 years after the Bakumatsu. No one is quite sure what sent the man off but it was rumored to have something to do with a now dead Vampire by the name of Shishio Makoto."

Misao brightened up. "It had to be a woman!" Her voice was bright again.

Soujiro shook his head in a type of denial.

Kaoru frowned. "Why are you telling us all this Soujiro?"

"Because the little girl you have to find is a hybrid of Shishio's family. A vampire of the name Enishi is trying to get his hand on her. With her mixed heritage the little girl may be strong enough to take on the Battousai if she wants something. Now, think of what would happen if a fully grown vampire drank her blood." Soujiro looked up and laced his fingers together. "We think he wants to bring Shishio back from the dead."

"Wasn't this Shishio a very well trained killer?" Kaoru asked carefully.

Soujiro nodded his head. "And because of the ki this child will give off, it will make him almost unstoppable. He will do everything in his power to bring the Blood Paths back from the shadows." His voice had dropped into a growl.

Most vampires did not have the need to drive to drink human blood not after the purifying years. The higher powered ki they had the less likely they would need the kick in their power blood gave them.

The only time blood was taken was during the mating ceremonies. Mates vampires were twice as power as a single vampire. The link and shared power between two souls were indestructible. Vampires swore they could track a mate that had been killed hundreds of years later.

Not many humans believed in rebirth now.

If the blood paths reopened then it would all fall apart. With as many vampires as there were now then the human race would be wiped out in a matter of centuries.

"So what is _our_ job in this?" Misao questioned, her large green-blue eyes filled with a mixture of determination and anger. That expression suggested she wanted to get to work and that she would do whatever it took.

"Your job is to find that child before Enishi does. Find her and hide her." Soujiro ordered.

"_Hide_ her?" Kaoru repeated in a flabbergasted tone. Of all the contacts they had in the underworld there was still no way they could hide such a child easily.

Soujiro shrugged helplessly. "I am going on as much as you are. I will have the other teams keeping their eyes open as well. It's best if I leave it in your capable hands. You have the most contacts and the best chance of finding the child. You're going to be dealing with a mad man."

Misao muttered under her breath the entire way out of his office. "Mad man! Its more like a dog with rabies or some type of crazy person with toothpicks glued to his teeth or…"

Soujiro placed his head on the desk and began to beat it to a rhythm only he could hear.

* * *

Himura Kenshin found himself struggling with the same emotions he had been dealing with for over a century. They churned to the surface and fought to break loose and burn his already tentative hold on his soul to shreds.

His amber eyes burned with an intensity he had not felt in so long.

"_Kaoru_."

He sighed as he allowed her name fall from his lips. It was whispered with stark devotion of a lover; a name to be whispered when he was alone, to allow it to linger on his tongue.

A name meant to be caressed as he caressed her body.

"Kenshin."

Battousai sighed at the interruption but the man pushed it aside and turned. His face was angled against the dying light and all Yahiko saw was the dark gold hidden behind his bangs; eyes ringed with dark violet as he fought for control and he recognized the emotion he saw there. Longing that was fighting and refusing to remain in check much longer.

"She has to be close to twenty-four now if you right about her rebirth." Yahiko tossed out almost carelessly; reminding him why he fought for control.

Kenshin smirked, showing off his fangs. He knew Yahiko's words were more for Yahiko than himself; his need to be reassured that his beloved Kaoru would be back into his life again and soon.

"She is." His voice was low and controlled. The emotions where hidden once again but where so close to the surface that Yahiko feared he may start going door to door until he found her.

There where a lot of doors in Tokyo.

"How much longer do you plan on waiting till you go and get her Kenshin?" Megumi asked from the couch where she was perched. Sano sat next to her, his dark eyes amused.

Kenshin turned then and looked over the family he had taken care of over the years. Megumi and Sano had been mated for almost the entire time he had been without Kaoru and it still bit at him.

Yahiko and Tsubame, mated after both where more than adults and Yahiko finally worked up the nerve to tell her about his past and future. Not long after the blood had stained both Tokyo and the young man's hands if he had remembered correctly. Shishio had met his end at the end of two Katana's and one fist.

Which was why he had brought his little group together after so many years; not that they where ever apart long, just that this was more important than usual, her life depended on it. With Kaoru out there somewhere and if he knew her, in the middle of the rising web of danger.

"Enishi is up to something." Kenshin said softly, his words dark with the hate.

Unfortunately he could not do anything about Enishi until he had more proof, as one of the main figure heads for the now stable system for the vampires, if he went after Enishi for nothing it open the world back for blood shed.

Even as a part of him craved to tear the world back open by its hinges, he knew that Kaoru would never forgive or allow it. Sometimes you had to bend the rules to get your mate however and he would not allow Enishi to place her danger again.

He was certain that Shishio had been connected to his first wife's brother. While he had loved Tomoe he had not been what he was now and had not been changed by his master. He had never felt the any of the desire that he felt for Kaoru.

Kaoru _would_ be his this time.

Sano leaned back and thoughtfully tapped his chin with the fingers that were not holding Megumi's hand firmly in his. "Enishi. That means that he would be trying to bring the blood paths back but I am not sure how he would."

Kenshin sighed heavily but Tsubame beat him to it. "There are several ways in which he can. There are several key players that he can attempt to bring back but in order to do that he would need a sacrifice and lots of blood-magic. Something he does not have right now or we would not be having this conversation."

Kenshin smiled at the girl. Tsubame had taken too their world of intrigue faster than any would have thought and become a strong player in his world.

"Where would he find someone strong enough to cause problems?" Yahiko questioned. "And _who_ would he bring back. I can think of several people that we have killed of the years."

Megumi chewed on her lip thoughtfully. "Kenshin, whom do you have any ideas about what he could be up to?"

Kenshin shook his head. "I have a few half formed ideas but I am need more information. I will have to talk to Hiko first. But Tsubame-chan and Megumi-san, I need something else from you two."

Both women looked at him and nodded.

"There is a group of people who have been going under the name of the Underworld Detectives for around ten years now." Kenshin said softly, "They have been putting a major hole in Enishi's side. I want you two to go and check it out and tell me what you think." He smiled a dark smile laced with amusement.

"An old friend of ours runs it."

The women looked blankly at him.

"Hajime Saitou."

* * *

Saitou sighed as he looked at his subordinate. "You sent the weasel and raccoon on the most important mission we have yet to find ourselves with, why?"

Soujiro shook his head. "They are the best we have, sir."

Saitou looked at him dryly. "Hence the reason we are doing so poorly. It would be better if we just went and told Enishi what our plans where and then ask him what he thinks."

Soujiro bristled. "Listen, Captain, who else are we going to send?"

Saitou smiled tightly. "If they mess this up it's going to be your head. Sending one woman who has this insane idea of not killing and another who is a loud as a chipmunk caught under a metal gate is not my idea of subtle or delicate! I am sure I told you this situation needed to be handled delicately."

Soujiro just smiled slightly at his boss and excused himself.

Saitou shook his head and looked at his watch wincing. Tokio was going to have his head if did not get going to lunch soon.

There was nothing more terrifying than an angry Tokio.

* * *

Large green eyes shot with small specks of gold hid behind her dark hair and watched as the people around her cursed her and demanded to know why she wasn't where she was supposed to be.

She allowed a small smile of glee to cover her lips.

The pretty lady had told her that the one with blue eyes would help her. And the pretty lady who smelled like those pretty white plums never lied.

The small boned child settled down into her hiding place and watched with eyes that where very wide and muffled her giggles.


	3. Chapter Three

Another chapter done! I am sorry that I am not answering the reviewers directly this chapter. It seems that my family has conspired against me so that I can not. Lots of cleaning to do today and I wanted to get this out.

A lot of information is in this chapter, and after this one I will be able to start writing the darker side to this story. So stick with me and expect a little B/K action in the next chapter. Feel free to leave suggestions if you think something needs to be explained for or whatnot. It makes perfect sense in my head but I may have forgotten something to make it sound real in yours.

Hope you all enjoy.

Ravyn

I do not own the Kenshin-Gumi, but if they were given to me I would not terribly mind!

(Edited)

* * *

Sano leaned against the wall of the building across from the Akebeko. His instincts were on edge now that Kenshin was amber-eyed all the time. It wasn't limited to him feeling strongly about a situation. It had been a long time since his friend had walked this edge and he worried about him.

Which meant that Kenshin was going to want everyone to be with in fingertips reach, meaning that he was going to have to talk to Shinomori. Aoshi Shinomori was a man that could be found in very few places and hid in the shadows as well as Kenshin.

Which meant you had to keep your eyes on the few places you could count on him surfacing from time to time.

"Sanosuke." His quite voice broke out of the shadows.

Sano looked up with a slight smile. '_You also have to let Aoshi come to you_.' "Aoshi," he said lightly. The fact that silence was his only greeting didn't faze him after the last century.

"Have you found anything on Misao?" Sano asked in a muted voice. If there was anything Kenshin and Aoshi agreed on it was the attempt to find the two women that had been taken so prematurely from their hands. It had bonded them in a way that left everyone else outside a little chilled but unwilling to enter.

"No." It was terse and flat as it had always been. If Misao was hoping that hundreds of years made him open up, she was going to be disappointed. "Enishi is up to something." Sano casually commented as he looked across the street at Tae's restaurant.

"Yes." The clipped word was like ice between them.

"Kenshin thinks it might have something to do with Shishio." Sano continued.

"Yes." Frigid. Cold.

"So you might want to see him the next few days to compare notes. Whatever he is up to is going to be centered around a little girl. Yahiko's sources are not sure exactly who it is yet but he is almost certain it's a half-breed."

The silence that permeated the air was enough to cause Sanosuke to push off the wall and start the trek back to his and Megumi's apartment. He didn't look back. Aoshi was normally gone before you were finished talking to him anyway.

If he had looked back he might have seen Aoshi's features twisted into an expression that might have been loneliness.

It could have been the moonlight.

* * *

Kaoru ran down the empty side street letting all the vulgar language she knew run through her head before falling from her lips in fast bursts of panted vulgarity. Sometime when the graveyard shift tried to send you to the grave it really sucked. Kaoru mentally went over the ammunition she had on her person one more time and swore again. In new and more complex phrasings.

Her boots made odd clipping noises as she dodged the trashcans and other unoriginal objects in her path. Her long hair was tied high and it clung to her shoulders and neck with the humidity that had been promising rain all afternoon.

'Just my luck that it would open up now,' Kaoru thought furiously as the first splatters of heavy raindrops hit the filthy pavement. Kaoru reached down and grasped the end of the silver chain wrapped around her waist in a white-knuckled grip. She always wore it tripled around her waist; it made and excellent weapon against those with fangs. Especially when they were chasing her through dark alleys.

Kaoru skidded as she put on her breaks, hooking the chain from her waist and turning to meet those who were following her. She held it almost as if she was holding a large whip in her hands. Her bangs were plastered to her face as the rain continued to beat against her and her eyes were dark with suppressed temper.

"If it isn't a little girl who thinks she can just walk into our territory." A voice hissed between his sharp teeth. She had always wondered how difficult it was to talk about a mouth full of daggers and grinned to herself as blood flecked off his torn flesh.

"A very _tasty_ looking morsel indeed." She hated innuendoes; especially badly given ones.

Vampires that drank blood were the worst scum of the earth. Kaoru's eyes narrowed to furious slits, her expression showing just how irritated she was. Her hands tightened on the belt-made-whip in her hands and she gave them a grim smile. She was getting drenched and ruining her favorite leather jacket. Not only that but it had been to a group similar to this that her father had died in the hands of. Kaoru felt a surge of satisfied aggression at the idea that she was going to turn them into bits of salami.

It really was the only sort of dicing she was good at.

"I love to see that vein pulse in your neck, my sweet. Let me taste you." The voice was gravelly and spittle showered the flooding earth and she twisted her wrist so that the chain started to make a whirling noise over the sounds of the rain.

It was the vein ticking under her eye that they should be worried about.

It was the Vampire that moved forward from the right that got hit first. Flesh met silver in a hissing shock that ended when she wrapped the chain around his neck. The creature screamed and attempted to wrestle away and she used the force of his movement to slam him into a wall. Wrenching the coils of silver free from his neck she ducked as she felt another one lunge.

A whistling noise in the darkness told her she wasn't fighting alone.

Misao dropped the last one with two well placed Kunai. The silver lined edges slammed through the unprotected eyes and they died before they hit the ground. "Disgusting things," Misao growled as she walked over to the still body and kicked it solidly in the ribs before yanking her kunai out. The small woman hardly batted a lash at the damage she had created and ignored the oozing wounds as she wiped them clean on the vampires clothes.

Kaoru nodded to her friend in agreement and sighed when the thunder boomed across the sky. It acted like a signal and the sky poured down on them until it was impossible to hear your own heartbeat outside of the noise. The two women jogged to an overhanging and took shelter from the rain. They were drenched but they had no intentions of standing under the abuse. Cold clothing was plastered to their bodies and they shivered.

"Have you heard anything from Soujiro?" Kaoru questioned as she shook raindrops from her hair and wiped her lashes dry. Pulling her soaked shirt away from her body she sighed in defeat.

"Sou-chan?" Misao questioned cheerfully as if they had not just dispatched two creatures of darkness. "Nope. I do know he had a meeting with the Wolf but you know he would contact us if he had anymore information to give us." Her face turned thoughtful. "If he knew what was good for him, anyway."

Kaoru sighed and nodded and watched the rain beat Tokyo. She did not relish the idea of being out there in it but there was a girl to find and the weather had never slowed them down before. "Misao do you have any idea of where to start looking?" Kaoru asked as she stood and rolled her shoulders and necks to remove some of the cinks.

The grin that Misao gave could easily light up all of Japan if someone ever tapped into it as an energy source. "I think its time to say hello to an old friend of ours."

Kaoru felt a smug grin slowly begin to form on her own lips.

"So it's vampire hunting time?" She questioned lightly.

Misao just grinned. "Actually I made a point to locate him a few days ago when we where handed a few days vacation. As we are never given that much time off I figured we would be having a big case." She winked outrageously. "It always pay to out think the boss."

Kaoru smiled at the brain that actually did work behind Misao's crazy laughter. "So where is it this time? A gambling joint, a whore house, or a bar?" She motioned for Misao to lead her friend into the torrents of rain and both woman pulled there jackets closer. "My money is on the bar. He hasn't done that in a while."

"Neither." Misao said as the water dripped off her lashes and lips. "It's even better this time. He is working in an antique sword shop just off downtown. We can be there in about ten to fifteen minuets." She sighed. "I suppose I will have to go and get a car from the office.One without leather seating."

Kaoru laughed and stepped out into the rain. Hopefully the rain would let up eventually because she hadn't thought of bringing an umbrella with her. It was sitting nice and cozy next to her couch ready for her to grab.

The nagging impression that someone was supposed to turn the corner and offer her one had chills running up her spine. Shaking the feeling loose she trudged on. She and Misao raced through the dark and used various overhanging to get where they wanted to go with the least amount of rain hitting them.

* * *

_A nine year old Kaoru stared at her daddy with wide- eyes that where a mixture of confusion and disbelief. Never fear. Even at nine Kaoru believed that the world belonged at her fingertips; never the other way around. . _

_"Daddy, why did you kill him?" Her expression was confused as she demanded the answer to the question that no nine-year-old dared ask. Kaoru had never been an easy child. She was too much like her mother. _

_"Kaoru, is it wrong to kill something that is living?" Her father's beloved voice softly voiced the question as he bent at the knees until he met his daughter's eyes. He gently brushed back her wind tossed bangs from her uncertain eyes. _

_The little girl nodded solemnly. "Very wrong Daddy," her voice was serious in the way that only little children can take the world. _

_He nodded. "That is right. But some things, like that man, are already dead. They have no soul and no heartbeat." He traced her features with his eyes. "You can't kill what is already dead."_

_The little girl's brow wrinkled together in confusion. "But Daddy, he is a vampire and some of them are alive!" Her voice was earnest. _

_Her father swung his precious flower into his arms and started walking. "Yes. But the vampires that feed of human's are not alive. They depend on us for there next breath."_

_Her little brow creased again. "You mean when they try to eat us?" Kaoru paid far more attention to the horror stories her friend's parents whispered and her father mourned at her loss of innocence. "Like they did to Mommy?"_

_He stopped his walk then. "Kaoru, where did you here that?"_

_Kaoru looked up him with eyes the color of navy and blinked. "I don't remember."_

_Her father wondered how this had gone from a conversation of killing to her mother, but sighed just the same. "Yes. But Kaoru, people can change. To kill a living being out of spite, hate, or anger is wrong. There may come a time when you have to choose between someone you love and the death of someone else, and it won't be easy."_

_Kaoru stared at her father not quite understanding the words that came from his mouth. _

_  
"The Vampires that drink blood to survive are not alive Kaoru. They are bodies without souls and without the ability to live. There are Vampires that do not need our help to live and they are breathing, living creatures and it would be wrong to kill them. But those who need us for there own survival our not something you need to worry about killing. They are already dead. "_

_Kaoru smiled then. _

_"Okay."

* * *

_

Sano leaned against the windowpane as he watched the rain fall the glass in a rather soothing motion. He smiled slightly as he felt slender arms wrap around his waist.

"It's coming down out there." Megumi commented softly against his arm as she looked over his shoulder. Sano grasped her hands in his and agreed mentally.

"I have this feeling that something is going down tonight." Sano's voice was unusually grave.

Megumi looked up at his face. Still framed by his gravity defying hair with his warm eyes that seemed to have matured over the years. They had been together for so long now.

Megumi leaned against him and allowed her thoughts to drift back into the past. She had _upset_ when she had found out that Sano had not only inherited the ability to live for an extremely long time, but acquired a set of fangs to go with it. It had been unnaturally to the doctor inside her.

What had really chaffed against her grain was when he had told her that she was _his_ and that she would be his _mate_. There had been no asking her opinion on the matter. Nothing but that stubborn finality that had shook her down to her core.

It had taken Kenshin a few hours to patch him up. She had done everything in her power to avoid him after that point and had succeeded better than she would have thought possibly. He had done his best to win her over and in the end he had managed, slowly introducing her to his nature and life. She was still under the impression that Kenshin had taken him aside at one point and politely told him how to clean up his act just a _little_.

A grim smile curved her lips. Or a lot.

"Have you mentioned it to Kenshin?" Megumi asked as she leaned against the warmth of his back.

Sano sighed. "I've tried calling him several times. He isn't picking up his phone. Last time I tried it just went straight to his voice mail. He has it turned off for some reason."

Megumi sighed and pushed away from him, heading towards her closer. "I suppose we should go out and find him. If its bothering you that much then it might be important."

Sano turned in surprise.

"Fox, it's raining."

Megumi turned and her expression was wicked. "Yes, it's raining. As in wet clothing, wet hair, and wet everything." Her grin widened slightly. "But, isn't that why they made umbrella's?"

Sano turned all the way around, his face surprised, and eyed his wife.

They forgot the umbrella.

* * *

Kaoru smiled brightly as she walked into the antique shop; her grin edging on fanatical as she headed toward the front counter. Anji. As far as Kaoru and Misao knew he had no surname. He had most likely taken measures to make it disappear. Anji was the biggest man Kaoru knew. He was an ex-monk who held an air about him that practically screamed "I know something you don't know."

His _Futae no Kiwami_ was an attack that Karou had never seen an equal of. He was Kaoru and Misao's best source of information in the Underworld. He had his eye on everything and everyone. The only problem was they normally had to resort to extreme measures to make him speak.

"Anji." Kaoru cooed as she leaned against the glass counter. As she waited for the big Vampire to turn around she eyed the swords in the case and was rather impressed.

There where some rather rare swords in here.

"Kaoru, I can only hope that you are here for a sword." His voice was smooth.

"If information is considered a sword," Kaoru said airily as she turned. Reaching out she grasped the hand of a sword next to the counter and pulled it out of the sheath with a ringing sound.

"Please don't handle the merchandise." His voice was pained.

Kaoru smirked and executed a perfect down swing with it. "Anji, all I need is a tiny bit of information." Her voice was in the same sugary sweet tones.

"Kaoru-_san_ the last time you needed information, the place I was working exploded from large amounts of plastic explosives." His voice was dry now.

Kaoru sighed. "That wasn't my fault. You were a bouncer at a...exotic ladies place, so you should be thanking me. That job _should _have compromised your values." She scolded.

Anji turned and Kaoru once again wondered why she had been given the nickname of Raccoon when the man in front of her was the one with two permanent black eyes.

"Kaoru-_san_." He said softly his eyes expressing him amusement and annoyance.

"If you don't tell me what I want to know Anji, Misao is going to be more than willing to drop by every day for the next two weeks." Kaoru knew the man need his peace and quiet, apparently his reason for working in an antique shop.

Misao was anything but peace and quite.

Anji sighed. "What do you want Kaoru-_san_?"

Kaoru beamed up at him in an uncanny impression of Misao. "It's about a little girl."

Kaoru blinked at the expression that crossed Anji's face. "Anji?"

"Kaoru what exactly are you wanting with the hybrid child?" His voice had gone utterly neutral and she tucked her brows together.

She hated it when Anji knew more than she did without really trying.

"Why does everyone keep referring to her as that? She more than likely has a name. And you know what my job is Anji, we find and hide. We got a scoop on this little girl this morning." Her eyes narrowed in thought. "You are not part of the faction that wants her dead as well are you?" Her voice stopped being sweet.

"No. At least not now, but at least in one point of my life I would have been." He sighed softly. "But that was many years ago, Kaoru-_san_."

Kaoru nodded. "Anji, what can you tell me?"

"There is an old abandoned apartment building near that old Dojo that Vampires have been using to hide out in." his voice was resigned.

Kaoru nodded slowly. "I think I know what you are talking about. The one that has that old statue of a sword out in the front?"

Anji nodded. "It's rumored that the little girl is being hidden there."

Kaoru thanked him and turned to leave. "Kaoru-_san_, be careful. On a night like tonight with a full moon, not only Vampires are going to be hunting."

Kaoru felt a chill run down her back. She _hated_ Werewolves. "Thanks."

He watched as she left the bell tickling and moved to the back to begin to box up the more expensive swords, it appeared he was going to have to switch jobs again.

* * *

Kaoru slipped outside and sighed in relief when she was not immediately pelted with raindrops. She looked at her watch and groaned. She was supposed to be meeting Misao at the Akebeko in a few moments. Misao was supposed to have gone and retrieved them a car.

Which car Misao grabbed was also something of interest since the agency switched cars often so that there agents (especially Kaoru and Misao's department) could not be recognized by there means of transportation.

Kaoru sighed as she slipped into Tae's restaurant and sat in one the booths along the back wall. She winced when she heard her clothes squelch along the booth seat and ran a hand through her dark bangs.

"Kaoru-_san_!" The excited voice of her friend caused her head to come up. "Are you aware that you are very wet?"

Kaoru smiled at Tae and shook her wet ponytail. "Very aware. I am waiting on Misao actually."

Tae looked at her for a long while. "Ah. One of those nights."

Kaoru sighed darkly. "Yes. It's been a very long and very wet night and its not even midnight yet." She squeezed her bangs and watched water drip from her fingers.

Tae stared hard at her friend. "Be careful tonight. Full Moon always adds to the danger, and you aware of what is going to coming up soon?"

Kaoru blinked. "You mean besides my case?" her brows beetled over her brows and she stared the petite restaurant owner.

Tae nodded. "Its about to get very dangerous for women with strong Ki like yours and Misao's." her voice was low with warning.

Kaoru let her gaze linger on the quiet restaurant. Most of Tae's customers came in late and stayed late. "Tae I think you had better explain." Her voice was firm as she fought down a sense of unease.

Tae sat down and sighed. "It's the Blood Moon Kaoru."

Kaoru blinked. "The what?"

"Every hundred and fifty years all of the dark energy and _ki_ that has built up influences the male's of both species of the Underworld. The _ki_ that is going to be given off is made much stronger. It allows even the weakest of Vampires to be able to claim a strong mate." Her tone was rhythmic as she worried her apron with her hands.

Kaoru blinked. "But I thought only certain vampires could claim one."

"No. Only certain vampires can change one...that is one of the reasons so many move to the Blood Paths, so that they can build up their power so that they can mate."

Kaoru chewed on her bottom lip. "So what does this Blood Moon have to do with it?"

"Well not only does it allow someone to be raised from the dead if there is enough power, but it also allows those who have built up a reserve of blood _ki_ to be strong enough to bond a woman, vampire or human, to them."

Kaoru sighed. "Great. Just peachy-keen-tastic"

Tae smiled. "I am sure you and Misao are going to be fine. As it is I think she just pulled up." She gave a short bow. "Take care of yourself."

Kaoru nodded her thanks and sighed. Slipping out of the booth Kaoru grimaced when she felt her socks squelch. Boots she may have on, but apparently not waterproof boots.

Slipping into the seat Kaoru sighed in relief when she sat on a towel covered seat. "We need to head the abandoned apartments about two blocks from the antique shop."

Misao smiled. "What did you threaten him with this time?"

Kaoru covered her smile with her hand. "Oh just the usual."

* * *

Amber eyes watched the shadows solidify a few feet down from him and he let a small smirk play at his lips. His eyes narrowed as he watched the vampires he had been trailing start to speak in hushed whispers.

"Is the child in our possession yet?"

The voice that answered was even lower than the first answered. Kenshin slipped back into the shadows as he heard the cursing that ensued. So far the child was still missing.

Kenshin snarled to himself as he moved across the rooftops. He knew how important this child was, but he still was going to have to keep his eyes open for another type of girl.

_Kaoru._

He stopped once he was atop one the taller buildings. Closing his eyes he sent out the feelers that he had found to be the best way to track those around him. His eyes snapped open and seemed to burn with an unholy light as he smirked. A low laugh vibrated in his chest.

_Kaoru._

He smiled darkly and let out a low howl.

'_I am coming.'

* * *

_

Kaoru sat up in the seat and shuddered. She could have sworn she heard something. Shrugging she reached into the glove department and pulled out her handgun and holstered it. Misao always brought her a gun.

"Misao, do you have everything you need?" Kaoru turned and watched the girl finish grabbing the last of her Kunai. Her expression was grim as she looked up.

"Let's roll."

Kaoru nodded and both women got out of the car and started the walk into the apartment.

"Kaoru, on the shit meter, this ranks a good solid eight." Misao hissed feeling the darker vibes.

Kaoru had to agree with her. "How in the world are we supposed to find the child?"

Hopefully it was soon. Kaoru turned behind her as if she was expecting something to jump out of the shadows.

In a crazy way she almost did.

Twenty minutes later, Misao was cursing everything under the moon and attempting to pick a locked door in the amount of time it took the break the sound barrier.

'_I am going to kill Sou-chan.'_

She heard the sounds of Kaoru's gun going off in repeated blasts and swore again. Hearing the tall tell click she reached behind her and grabbed Kaoru's arm and heaved.

Both women tumbled into the room with a thud.

Spinning Misao kicked the door closed and scanned the room repeatedly. Nothing.

"Tell me again how we got into this mess." Misao demanded. She was out of Kunai except for the lone one she always kept for emergencies.

"Well, you decided the direct approach would be the best idea. Then we got ambushed by at least ten blood suckers who thought we would make a great side buffet. After that we busted our way down the front door and like another bunch of idiots we decided it would be great to run up the stairs." Her sentences were broken with pants as she kept up her guard.

Misao swore as the door at her back shuddered under the impact of multiple bodies.

"It's not nice to use bad words."

Both women turned in surprise. Sitting in a chair hidden because of the lack of light was a dark haired child with the palest green eyes Misao had ever seen. The large eyes and slightly pointed teeth said she was a vampire but the flushed skin said human.

Hybrid.

"Cutie, who are you?" Misao asked softly.

"I am Rei." She grinned a gap-toothed smile. "The Lady said you would come."

Kaoru blinked repeatedly. "What Lady?"

"The Lady with brown eyes." Her voice was matter of fact.

Kaoru nodded slowly and Misao blinked. There was obviously something here they didn't understand. "Misao, take Rei and get out that window. There should be a fire escape. I will cover you two." Her tone was fierce and it brooked no arguments.

Misao turned and looked at her friend in alarm. The pounding on the door had stopped.

Not good. It wouldn't be long before something came through the door.

"I mean it Misao. I still have one more round to go. Besides you climb faster than I do even with added weight." Karou's blue eyes were hard. "Get going."

Misao sighed and walked over to the girl. "You ready to leave?"

The little girl nodded and a few moments later Misao was climbing out the window and had a set of arms wrapped out her shoulders in a piggyback motion.

Kaoru headed towards the door itself when she heard a whisper of a sound and turned in time to see the door collapse on itself. Kaoru froze in shock as she was left starring at a red- haired man. His eyes were burning amber.

"_Kaoru_."


	4. Chapter Four

Well this chapter came out much faster than what I thought it was going to be! I hope that everyone enjoys it as much as the last one! Once again I have quite a bit of information added in here! Remember folks this is an AU so most of the timeline during the Kyoto Arc is going to be mixed around to my liking. So if the past is confusing you then don't worry, it will be explain. 

But like I promised some Battousai/Kaoru action in this chapter! Just enough to wet your whistle for the future chapters! 

Ravyn

Kenshin Gumi does not belong to me. But I here he makes great birthday presents. 

Amber.

Frozen fire imprisoned in a gaze that was searing a claim on her soul. It burned brighter than any flame Kaoru had ever seen before. 

But it was so familiar. 

Kaoru attempted to jerk her eyes away but the stranger would not let her. Kaoru liked her dry lips and wondered if it was possible to be trapped in time and space by the mere gaze of someone you had never seen before.

__

"Don't go, please don't go."

"Promise me you will come back. Promise me!"

"I...am...sorry. Tell Ken...shin..."

Kaoru gave a strangled half squeak, half choke as she felt his reaction to whatever it was the whispered through her mind. 

Pure uncensored amusement. 

Kaoru shifted backwards and crept closer to the window. 

"Don't." The word was simply purred at her, and Kaoru found her muscles tensing to stop. Shifting from one foot to the other she glared at him. 

The best way to hide fear was to simple ignore it or to cover it with anger. 

"Don't order me around." Her tone was tightly controlled. 

He moved so fast she could not see him, and in between one heart beat and the next she was pressed up against the wall with his eyes not a hands breath from her face. 

"My Lady, it is not wise to taunt the forces you know so little about." His voice was low and a soft croon against her face. Kaoru forced herself to suppress her reaction to him being so close.

Kaoru felt the anger that had been banking earlier begin to rise. Anger and something entirely different, something was giving her muscles a sweet weakness. She knew this man was dangerous, his Ki was a level that should have been impossible, and in no way should she attempt to play on his field. 

Licking her lips in a nervous habit she blinked at the hungry way he took in the motion. 

"Let me go." Kaoru's tone was nothing short of an order but she was running out of time. Her internal clock was ticking a strong warning that something was coming, something that was as dangerous as the man who stood in front of her. 

"No." His tone was amused.

Kaoru felt her eyebrow itch upwards. "Yes." Kaoru almost groaned at the golden flame that leapt in his eyes at her words wanted to groan because this golden eyed man seemed to take away any inhibitions of her mouth. 

The man smiled then and Kaoru felt her temper flare. She did not know what was more annoying, the fact that he was amused by the situation, or the fact that he looked damn good with that cocky on his face.

He raised her hand to his mouth and lavished each knuckle with lips, teeth, and tongue. Kaoru felt her knees go boneless and her eyes widened. If he was attempting to make her go completely boneless then it was working. 

He let go, then, and moved backwards giving her a flourishing bow. "As my Lady wishes."

Kaoru blinked once and spun on her heel. Heading towards the window she moved as quickly as her shaky knees would allow. 

"Kaoru."

Halfway out the window she turned at looked. He held his sword in his hand and gave her another bone melting grin. "Not all shadows are darkness, some are simply gray."

Kaoru blinked at him before dropping back down and moving down the stairs as quickly as possible. She had no idea how far Misao could be ahead of her, but with the little girl with her it should have slowed her partner down long enough to leave a trail. 

But one thing stood clear in her mind. 

How had he known her name?

~*~

"Dear Kami," Misao hissed to herself as she ducked into another alleyway. "How many are there?"

The little girl looked up at her and tugged on Misao's sleeve. "Wolves."

Misao bit her lip hard so not to curse in front of the child. Being reminded that her speech patterns where not exactly Lady like by a child was embarrassing enough on a good day.

Today was a really bad day.

When the lone call of a Werewolf on the hunt echoed through the dark alleys registered, Misao groaned again. 

It was a very bad day. And it was going to get worse.

"Little one, just how fast are you?"

Misao stiffened when she felt the presence of several high powered Ki's moving towards them. Misao closed her eyes and pulled out the emergency Kunai and pushed the child behind her. 

Five figures formed out of the rain and Misao blinked rapidly. Among them was the most gorgeous man Misao had ever seen. She positioned herself in front of Rei and shifted her stance. 

"Misao?"

The young man with dark chocolate eyes and spiky hair demanded, his tone was not only surprised it was close to shell shocked. But it was the man with the gorgeous blue eyes that had her attention. 

Those frozen eyes lit like twin flames and Misao knew that if she did not find something to distract herself with then she was going be burnt from the insides out. 

A Werewolf attempting to take her head off seemed better than nothing else at the time. 

Misao shifted to the side, taking Rei with her, the last Kunai seeming to leap from her fingertips, Rei ending flat against the wall.

Werewolves where dangerous because of there salvia, not because it turned you into one of them, but because it was a slow rotting poison that had to be treated quickly. 

Getting bit was not something Misao enjoyed, especially when it was going to take a series of shots that where as painful as having fire running through your veins to stop the freezing of your blood; making the whole experience something she hated. 

Another wolf jumped at her and Misao winced,_ this is going to hurt_, and about that time a Kodachi embedded it into a wall. Apparently one of the Vampires, their Ki practically screaming they where of the night, had tossed it like a knife with inhuman strength behind it. Making on Werewolf shishkabob. 

Misao heard the sound of a familiar engine approaching and she grasped Rei and tossed her into her arms and took off down the other end of the Alley. Hopefully the Wolves would keep those Vampires busy long enough to give her time to escape, because otherwise she would never outrun them. 

The vehicle spun to a stop next to her and Kaoru offered her a tense grin. "Need a lift?"

Misao opened the door and threw herself and Rei into it. In one quick move Misao was halfway into the back buckling the child in, while Kaoru gunned it. Misao then twisted and buckled herself in.

__

Kaoru is driving. 

"Rei, I don't know if you know any really good prayers, but start praying now." Misao hissed at the child, who hid her giggles behind her hand. 

"Misao, we are not being followed, so there is not need for you to be worried about my driving."

Misao looked at the speed Kaoru was currently driving, well over a hundred, and paled. "Where are we going?"

"We better not head back to report right away incase its being watched. I think we should head to the Greenhouse until things settle some time tomorrow Besides we need to go over some files and try to locate a place for our charge here." 

Kaoru jerked the wheel violently and moved into the incoming traffic lane and then jerked back into the ongoing traffic, never pausing just so she could avoid a vehicle moving at the speed limit.

Misao looked at Kaoru, blinking at her friend. Kaoru's lips where pulled into a straight line and her cheeks where flushed with anger. 

"Kaoru?"

"Later."

Misao turned around front and blanched at the moving landscape as Kaoru moved them to the edges of Tokyo. Sometimes this job simply did not come with a high enough life insurance policy. 

~*~

Kenshin slide silently through the shadows and allowed himself a brief smile as he saw the rest of his group arguing over something. Around them was a pile of dead Werewolves.

" I see you guys ran into some trouble." Kenshin commented dryly as he approached them. They all turned at his voice and shook their heads.

"Some nasty Werewolves and one Weasel girl." Yahiko said with a grin. Tsubame smacked him slightly on the shoulder. 

"And there was a little girl." Megumi said softly. She was quickly checking to see if anyone had been injured and relieved to find no one had even been scratched. "Do you suppose it's the little girl everyone is after? We just followed your Ki signal to get here."

Kenshin nodded. He turned his eyes to the surroundings. There were traces of Ki here that he had not felt in close to twenty years. 

"Aoshi, do you recognize any of those Ki traces." Kenshin questioned. Aoshi and he where by far the best at reading residue and Ki phases, but Yahiko was slowly beginning to find himself on par with the two he admired the most. 

"Yes." His tone was curt and dark. "Why is broom head alive, much less running with a pack of now dead werewolves?"

Yahiko blinked repeatedly, first the fact that Aoshi had called someone broom head -which was out of character enough- but that fact that it brought back some very old memories was disturbing. 

"Are you two talking about that Cho fellow that worked for Shishio during the Meiji?" Yahiko's brow knitted together. He could quite distinctly remember that man being in several different pieces. 

Which meant that he had been reborn and been converted. "If Enishi is tracking down all the members that have been killed, which Cho's appearance makes me believe, then who else is.... Undead."

Megumi gave a faint laugh at that. "Yahiko-Kun, what a observation. Here I thought all you could concentrate on where Tsubame's large brown eyes." Her smile was highly amused. 

Tsubame blushed as red as Kenshin's hair. Even after as many years of being around Megumi and married to Yahiko as she had, she still found herself blushing easily.

"Megumi!" Tsubame cried burying her head in her hands. 

Sano pulled the fishbone out of his mouth and looked thoughtful. "Anji is off the list, but Kamatari, Soujiro, and a few others are not. I can get some of my old connections to start tracking some names down if you want Kenshin."

Kenshin nodded but smiled at his friend. "Soujiro is off the list. I know where he is."

Sano looked at his friend closely before sitting back with a smirk. There was only one thing that caused his friends eyes to burn that brightly. "You met Jou-Chan tonight didn't you?"

Kenshin shot his friend a rather irritated look. "Yes."

Yahiko looked rather irritated, as did Megumi, at not being told. "You saw the Busu and you did not tell us?" 

Megumi had little fox ears popping into place. "I take it you wanted some private time, or do those blood stains on your sleeves say that you where cutting down on the Vampire population."

Kenshin smiled a rather feral grin, his lips twisting into a dark look that had his friends shivering. "A little of both. But Yahiko, who did you think was driving that car?"

The all blinked repeatedly. Only Yahiko and Aoshi seemed to understand what was going through Kenshin's mind as they nodded once at him. 

"So Kenshin did you have fun with the Raccoon?" Megumi questioned sweetly, her foxy nature coming to for. 

Kenshin opted for the silent treatment. 

__

You don't need to know how good she still taste's Megumi. Even after all this time and all I have done, all you barring Yahiko and Aoshi still see me as a Rurouni that would not harm a fly.

Enishi will die. Kaoru will be mine. Yahiko and Aoshi are perhaps the only two who see this, and they do not interfere. 

You will do best to remember me as what I am, Fox Lady, not what I appear to be.

Kenshin shook his bangs forward and headed back into the shadows. "I will meet all of you in front of that Agency you were supposed to be checking out for me tomorrow. We have an appointment for 8:00 tomorrow morning."

Aoshi followed Kenshin into the shadows and Yahiko turned to Sano. "Do you get the feeling that they are planning something and we really are not invited."

Sano shrugged. "No need to worry about it. The rain has stopped so it's best that we head back home now. We have to get up rather early tomorrow." He tuned to Megumi and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I must say Fox, you look rather edible wet."

Tsubame turned red again and Yahiko slung his arms around her shoulders in a way that was almost a perfect imitation of his long time friend. " Tea Tsubame?"

Aoshi moved in silent companionship with Kenshin, both thinking of the women they had for a brief moment seen. The shadows moved easily across both faces and forms blending in their choices of clothing into the dark. 

"There involved with Saitou and Soujiro's organization somehow." Kenshin whispered almost to himself. 

"Yes." Aoshi agreed. "They will be in danger for it."

Kenshin nodded hoping against hope that Aoshi would keep the Zen out of this particular conversation. He would rather concentrate of the lingering taste of Kaoru's skin than anything else. 

But Aoshi was quite and it did not have to be said that both would be there tomorrow. 

~*~

Kaoru parked the car in front of the place that had been converted into a make shift office for the woman some years past. Misao had the idea, and so when the large piece of property with a rundown house and old greenhouse came up for sale, they had bought it. 

It had taken some work but have managed to by it privately and through a mutely friend who had been able to keep it from coming up that both women owned it. Once they retired from the Agency both had planned on building a house here. 

Neither really counted on large amounts of time to spend husband shopping, and neither really spent any amount of time with the opposite sex anyway. 

Misao looked at her watch and groaned. It was well past three, which meant they would have to report back in soon, close to five hours left to find the information they needed. That meant that if they where going to find a place to put this little girl, or a place to hide themselves with her, they where going to be up all night.

Kaoru picked up the sleeping child easily and moved around back where the Greenhouse was. There was a cot in there that they could put her on. 

The entire layer of the Greenhouse was covered with boxes, filing cases, and folders. This place was rather remote and fairly hidden, and most of the information was written in Misao and Kaoru's rather cryptic codes. 

Even if it was found, anyone who did not know Kaoru or Misao would have a hard time figuring it out, if they could. 

Kaoru place Rei on the cot and covered her with a blanket as Misao started dragging out files and swearing to herself, and pulling out more. 

Kaoru had the mentality to fix some coffee (which in her terms was her muttering about the amount, and then turning it on) and then heading to the files of hidden vampires and what they had on Shishio and Enishi. And to see if there where any footnotes of a vampire with Golden eyes. 

Most of what Kaoru and Misao had collected over the years were lists of Vampires who had been killed, there family's left behind, which factions they had served and so on. 

They had information on close to 2/3 of the currant population of the Vampires that had souls. They had not necessarily helped that many, but they also kept the information they had gathered about any faction. 

They also had years of notes, taped conversations, files, police reports, FBI clippings, news clippings, agency reports and emails on anything having to do with the Underworld. They had there own cataloging system and always kept their eyes and ears open. 

Everything that was in this room in the form of loose papers also had a computer back up on one or many computer. But handwritten information sometimes gave more clues than computer documented. The inclination of the word, the emphasis they had placed on spelling, something that was lost in translation where all things that where taken into consideration. Which was why there was so much. 

It had all been all Misao's idea and in Kaoru's personal opinion the girl should have been born as either a ninja or a spy.

"Kaoru, I don't think any of our safe houses are going to work for this child." Misao hissed as she reached for the coffee several hours later. Looking at her watch she sighed. "Where going to have to take her with us soon, we are running out of time here."

Kaoru nodded and kept running her hands through her now loose hair; she had accidentally snapped her hair elastic hours earlier and did not have a replacement. 

Misao sipped the coffee and started to violently choke. "Kaoru! This is all syrup and no coffee! I think my tongue is dissolving." Misao grabbed a napkin and tried to rub the aftertaste off her tongue. 

Kaoru offered a shrug. 

"Last time you make coffee _ever_ Kaoru. I mean it this time." Misao grumbled, her tone taking on a whining note. 

Kaoru looked up from tired blue eyes. "You awake now aren't you?"

Misao groaned. "It was like having my heart jumpstarted with a adrenaline shot. I do not need to be awake that badly!"

Kaoru sighed and rubbed her eyes. For once she was glad that neither she nor Misao wore makeup often, and the fact that rain would have washed it all away had nothing to do with it. "We are just going to have to keep her with us and deal with whatever crawls out of the wood work."

Misao groaned. "I can think of lot of stuff crawling out of it."

Kaoru leveled her with a look. "You have no idea." Amber eyes filled with a series of emotions, starting with desire, longing, want, and need those being only a scratch on the surface; flashed through her mind. 

Misao fixed her friend with a look. She had wrung it out of Kaoru that she had had an encounter with a Vampire but besides that could get nothing out of her friend. 

Kaoru looked at her watch and bit back another curse. "Its time to move again, Misao-Chan. We have roughly an hour to get back to headquarters and we are going to need to stop and get coffee. We are simply going to have to keep Rei with us."

Misao grabbed a couple of files they had copies of and had been needing at the office, and scowled at her friend. "You may be needing coffee but I will never need it again in my life. I will be lucky if I blink ever blink again."

Kaoru snickered tiredly and picked Rei back up. The little girl had slept through most of the ride there and then all of there time searching through the files. Rei woke up sleepily and grasped a handful of Kaoru's hair and snuggled into her neck. 

They trudged back to the car, sighing tiredly as they dodged holes and other foreign objects in an attempt to make it to the car without killing themselves. Rei, in Kaoru's opinion, had gained ten pounds from the Greenhouse to the car. 

Kaoru smiled slightly and gently removed her hair from the child's grip and buckled her in. "I wish we had a car seat for you angel. This isn't very safe, but we don't have time for much else. I will make sure we get you one however."

Rei smiled at her and tucked her hands around the belt, her eyes wide with delight. "Kao!" Kaoru laughed at that variation of her name and brushed her finger down the little girl's nose. 

Misao practically flipped over the car she in such a hurry to drive. Kaoru was to tired to argue and leaned her head back tiredly. "Please stop somewhere so we can at least grab a granola bar."

Misao nodded and drove back towards the city with the happy chatter and a tired Kaoru, her mind all the time trying to work around why the tall man with the Kodachi and gorgeous eyes where so familiar. 

And why in hell did he have Kodachi?

~*~

Kenshin stood waiting outside the office building which he had found out, thanks to Megumi's late night phone call, one of the best agencies out there for the Underworld. 

Kenshin really had to hand it to them, they reminded Kenshin of a sick combination of the Shinsengumi and the Oniwabanshu groups. Megumi had told him that anyone, who found himself or herself without a mate, or protection, was contacted by one of the Search and Rescue agents and where hidden until they could protect themselves again. 

Apparently Soujiro's last lifetime had left some marks on the boy. His being abandoned by his family after his parents died and then taken in by Shishio must have had a hand in the fact that the boy was running the most well known agency for making sure that Vampires who where hunted could find safety.

Kaoru and Misao where just as reasonably understood for there helping such a cause, but what had Kenshin was HOW they had gotten involved in such a thing. Both had strong Ki's and Kenshin was very much aware of there skills in fighting (he had been the one to add to the already large pile of dead bodies) but knowing Soujiro there was another reason why they where dragged into this. 

Kenshin raised his eyes from his bangs when he noticed the group was there. His eye color was lavender with only a hint of molten gold to them, there was no need to scare the people here _too_ badly. 

Aoshi walked up exactly at 8:00 so they all followed Kenshin and Megumi as they walked in. Tsubame had a tight grip on Yahiko's arm her face flushed. The girl could deal with the gang teasing her, but individuals she did not know, staring at her; it was just too much.

"Can I help you?" A gentle female voice questioned them. Behind them was a girl who looked barely out of high school with a bright smile and large eyes. 

Megumi sighed. "We are looking for Soujiro Seta." She smiled slightly. "We have an appointment."

The girl positively beamed at them. And her answer was to chirp a "follow me please". Megumi had a hard time not smacking the girl. Apparently working here had the requirement to be all Misao like in the perkiness factor. 

Kenshin walked into Soujiro's office first and the others followed, there weren't enough chairs, and barely enough room but Tsubame, Megumi, Sano and Yahiko got the chairs while Kenshin and Aoshi stood. 

Soujiro walked in with a smile and blinked at the number of people in his office. All of them were Vampires with extraordinary amounts of Ki, and his smile almost faltered.

There was something about the people in this room that should have set him on edge, and there was something about the red haired one that set him really on edge, something about the amber glint just hiding in his eyes. 

"How may I help you?" Soujiro questioned in his cheerful voice. His eyes and voice told one story, he was willing to help. His brain on the other hand was screaming at him because so far he had heard nothing from Kaoru and Misao. 

"We would like to talk to you about some activities your organization has been up to lately." Megumi said silkily. 

Soujiro just kept smiling. "If you could be more specific there is the chance that I could answer you questions."

Megumi leaned forward, her expression amused. "It has to do with a child."

Soujiro kept his smile, but barely. The only person so far who had made him loose his smile was Misao, well Kaoru had once, and now this Lady who had Fox ears was in here was making him almost blanch. 

It was then that Soujiro felt an unfamiliar Ki tempered with two Ki's he knew far to well. He watched as the one with the amber/violet gaze sat up with his eyes flashing to solid amber. 

Just then the door burst open and he was met with the site he had been praying for all night. He suddenly realized that not all prayers where good ones.

Kaoru looked around the room and let out a growl. Her long dark hair was still unbound and she was still running on no sleep. She had to put up with Misao complaining about the loss of her Kunai's the entire way back.

The little girl had giggled and only encouraged Misao's behavior. She wanted a bath and she needed to brush her teeth.

"Soujiro, sorry to interrupt..."Her eyes met dark amber for the second time into twenty-four hours. "YOU!"

Kenshin leaned against the wall and let a feral grin cross his lips. "Hello my pretty Kaoru."

__

You're mine. 


	5. Chapter Five

Another chapter. First of all everyone needs to mentally send a thank you to Dragonsdaughter because she is the absolute best and helps me out so much with both keeping everyone in character and making sure you all understand my attempts at plot. 

Thank you SO much for the reviews. I actually sat down and wrote all of this yesterday in an attempt to get this out as quickly as possible. So all of you who said get it out fast...is this fast enough?

Remember, in case you haven't noticed this is completely and AU setting. I plan on messing around with the Kyoto arc and revenge arc (which has not happened because well she died) but I promise to give you all good reasons! I also will be explaining a little bit more of the past and what happened in the next couple of chapters!

I would be thanking everyone but there are so many of you! Hopefully one of these days I will go back and email all of you, but until then

THANK YOU!

Remember I do now own the Kenshin gumi. Kenshin under my Christmas tree with bow would be nice! (Christmas is such a long way off)

Ravyn

Soujiro blinked at looked at Misao but noticed her gaze was riveted on the tall man who was standing with a faintly amused expression on his face. Misao narrowed her eyes in something could faintly be called a challenge when the words the red haired man had uttered registered in his and Kaoru's brain.

"Excuse me?" Kaoru's voice was furious enough to cause the papers on his desk to spontaneously combust. Soujiro watched in fascination as the man's smile grew at that. 

"She looks surprised." Megumi said evilly to Sano.

"Hey Ken-man take it easy on Jou-Chan...give her another thirty seconds and _then_ kiss her."

Yahiko reached over Sano and bopped him on the head. " Man leave Busu alone!"

Tsubame groaned and covered her flushed face. 

"Why you little..."Sano growled attempting to lunge forward over Megumi. 

Aoshi reached over and grabbed the man by the back of his headband. 

Kenshin continued to stare at Kaoru, his expression darkly possessive. 

Time to interrupt.

"Kaoru, Misao, do you two need something specifically now or do you want to wait until after this meeting?" Soujiro questioned attempting to break the argument he just knew was going to break out. 

Kaoru shook herself free of the amber tinged gaze and turned to Soujiro and glowered. She tossed him the paperwork she and Misao had filled out about there activities last night and walked over to the filing cabinet on the other side of his desk she knew held the paper work for them to keep Rei in there custody. 

"Hey, Sou-chan, do you still have that extra set of Kunai I asked you to keep?" Misao's voice interrupted his watching Kaoru and he turned to blink at the small woman.

"Yes. Do you need it?" Soujiro asked politely his grin slightly strained. 

Yahiko slouched in his chair. "She always needs them. I just can't believe she lost them AGAIN."

Misao growled from the wall. "What did you say?"

Aoshi grunted from his position. 

Sano laughed at that. "Don't make Ice Man here too mad, Yahiko-CHAN, he might hurt you."

Misao was in the process of answering moving forward to strangle the one named Yahiko when the tall man moved forward and offered Misao a handful of Kunai. Misao blinked at the man repeatedly and for the first time that Soujiro could remember Misao was speechless. 

Bless Kami. 

It startled everyone when Kaoru slammed the file shut, her holding a group of papers. Soujiro blinked again. "Kaoru?"

Kaoru turned her blazing eyes on Soujiro and he wanted to crawl under his desk for once.

"I will get these back to you." Her tone was silky and dangerous and Soujiro did what any man would do under a similar situation. 

He nodded. 

Kaoru then proceeded to grab Misao (the girl had gingerly taken the Kunai her expression suspicious) and drag her out of the room. The dark haired little girl had beamed at them all and skipped after them. 

Soujiro turned back to his office full of people, his smile barely there, and almost started banging his head against his desk again. 

That Megumi looked highly amused, while Yahiko was patting the young woman on the back looking just as amused, the spiky haired man was looking at the red haired man, the red haired man was practically oozing...something. He wanted to call it possessiveness but he was not sure and the stone statue had a gleam in his eye that was rather scary. 

All of this and it wasn't even ten past eight yet. He cast an exasperated glance at Megumi and sighed. "Now what child was it?"

~*~

Kaoru placed her head on the desk and sighed tiredly. "I want a bath, some toothpaste, a large feather pillow and personal masseuse. Then I want to sleep for a week on that aforementioned feather pillow."

Misao picked another color of play dough and began squishing it into shape. She chewed on her lower lip and then looked at Rei. "Yellow or blue tower?"

Rei put a forefinger to her chin and then smiled. "Rei thinks yellow."

Kaoru raised tired eyes to the two on the floor. They where building a play dough castle since Rei had told them she liked sandcastles and Misao simply could not pass up the opportunity to show the little girl her play dough stash.

How they had gotten into the conversation of sandcastles Kaoru did not know. 

"Rei thinks yellow because it will match that man's eyes." Rei added cheerfully.

Kaoru raised her head and gaped at the little girl. Rei turned and offered a full smile to Kaoru. "I like the man with the yellow eyes."

"Do you?"

All three heads turned to Soujiro standing in the door. His smile was in place, but his eyes flickered with amusement. "Nice castle."

"Than you Soujiro-_Sama_." Misao replied, responding to the under spoken sarcasm and returning it full turn. "What can we do to help you today?"

Soujiro sighed. "Do you realize that I have the most powerful group of Vampires to walk to the Underworld in my office?"

Kaoru blinked at the man. "What?"

Soujiro walked in and shut the door behind him. "Have you ever heard of Battousai?"

Kaoru and Misao blinked. "You mean the so called Heir to the Darkness?" Misao questioned softly, in her hand the play dough was being pulverized. 

"Yes." Soujiro sighed and raked his hand through his hair again. He smiled at them. "He is sitting in my office calmly sipping tea. Rather ironic isn't it?"

Kaoru groaned. "I have a really bad feeling."

Soujiro's smile brightened. "Oh it get better. Apparently his little groups goals are about the same as ours. They wish for that little girl hiding behind Misao to not fall into Enishi's hands. And they are more than willing to work with whoever you two have decided to place the child with."

Kaoru let out a slight whimper. 

Misao blinked at Soujiro. "She is staying with us."

"Rei like Mi and Kao!" Rei said cheerfully.

Soujiro blinked. "You're not handing her over."

Kaoru gave Soujiro a dark look. "And who exactly are we supposed to hand her over to? None of the contacts have what it takes to protect her. We are going to have to find another way and right now this is the only option."

Soujiro smiled cheerfully. " Then you go and talk to them."

Kaoru moaned. 

Misao turned back to Rei. "Blue this time?"

~*~

Kaoru walked into the room Soujiro had moved the meeting to so that there was enough room for everyone. She ignored the surprised looks and leaned against the wall. 

"Soujiro tells me you are interested in keeping Rei safe." Kaoru said softly. She kept her eyes on the Lady who Soujiro said did all the talking. 

Megumi swung her eyes to Kenshin who nodded slightly. " Yes we are."

"Why else would we be here?" Yahiko muttered under his breath. 

Kaoru crossed her arms and frowned at her. "Why." She shot Yahiko a rather evil look.

Megumi blinked. "Excuse me?"

Kaoru raised her eyebrows. "Would you like me to say it in a different language?"

Sano snickered lightly at that and Megumi smacked him upside the head. 

Tsubame muttered something about manners and wished desperately for a tea- tray to hide behind. 

"We do not want the blood paths opened any more than you do, Kaoru." Kenshin said softly. 

Kaoru swung her eyes to the one Soujiro had told her was the Battousai and immediately regretted it. There was something about the intensity of his eyes that shook her. She jerked her chin up, because she was never intimidated by anyone. 

Even Prince's of darkness.

Kaoru watched irritably as his lips curved gently in amusement. "Yes, but would you be willing to kill the child in order to keep Enishi from killing her in the ceremony?"

Tsubame let out a startled gasp and Kaoru allowed it as an excuse to swing her gaze somewhere else. "Most people would count the life of a child as something of little value." Kaoru's tone was harsh. 

Yahiko and Megumi gaped at her. 

Sano groaned in disbelief. 

"We will not kill her." 

Kaoru swung her eyes back to the Battousai. "I have no reason to trust any of you with her life." _Except for those damn dreams. And I am not sure if I am to trust them either. _

"Are you sure?" His golden gaze flashed with fire again and Kaoru felt something in her shift in response to that gaze. Something craved that fire, but Kaoru forced it down. 

Before she could answer however, Soujiro came in then and had Misao and Rei with him. 

"I see Kaoru has already started the conversation?" Soujiro's tone was his normal tone. "Kaoru have you been introduced?"

"No."

"Ah then allow me." Soujiro tilted his head as he calmly told her the names of the group in front of her. 

__

Kenshin. 

Sano. 

Yahiko.

Kaoru forced herself to not make a single reaction to a name, although for some reason something was trying to claw its way to the surface and tell her something. Kaoru ducked her eyes behind her bangs to hide her eyes. 

"Mr. Himura, Rei is currently staying with Kaoru and Misao." Soujiro told him amiably. 

Misao glared at Soujiro. "Your sure willing to be trusting."

Soujiro just smiled. 

"Trust is sometimes a matter of simple choice." Aoshi's voice said softly.

"That is the pot calling the kettle black." Yahiko muttered. 

Sano and Megumi shot him dark looks. Kenshin just shook his head. 

Misao frowned at him. 

"We are more than willing to help hide the women as well as the child." Sano said easily, shooting Kenshin and Aoshi amused looks. 

Kaoru shot him a dark look. "Since when did we ask you to hide us?"

Yahiko narrowed his eyes. "It's the best option."

"For who?" Kaoru's tone was so sweet that it caused Misao to blink. "Lets go hide where Misao and Kaoru are completely unable to use any of their resources and absolutely under your control."

Kenshin ducked his head not to laugh at Yahiko's expression. 

"But you must know that Enishi is going to come after you at all full strength." Megumi said softly. 

Sano's hand was clenching and unclenching repeatedly under the table. 

"That does not matter. We will not put ourselves in such a vulnerable position just because you think it would be for out best." Misao said flatly. "If we decide it would be for best for us to accept your help then we will do it under our terms. As it is I don't appreciate being told by you how to do my job."

Kenshin rose then. "Misao-dono we are not attempting to tell you how to do your job. We have seen your abilities and we know that you two are more than capable of taking care of yourselves. But you must understand that Enishi will use whatever he can to get that child."

Kaoru cocked her slightly, her dark mane of hair falling over one shoulder. "Are you saying we are not capable of protecting Rei and ourselves?"

Kenshin smiled again, but this time it was a predatory smirk, one that sent a shiver down Kaoru's spine. "Not as well as I am."

Soujiro took that moment to step in. "Why don't we go ahead and accept your offer for now. If it becomes too much then we shall try something new. Rei seems to think your trust worthy, and that is enough for me."

Kaoru just gave a grunt. Her flashing dark eyes said how well that settled with her. 

"Misao why don't you take Rei to your and Kaoru's apartment and whoever wants to go with you. One of you should at least get some rest and we all know Kaoru is better at the paper work than you are."

Misao sighed and nodded. "Sure. That why I can at least take a shower." She smiled at Soujiro jumping back in to her Genki personality. If the boss said they had to have their help than so be it, but she Kaoru was more than likely to say a few things about it. 

Perhaps she could get that hunk of a male to be her personal protection.

Aoshi stepped forward and bowed slightly at Misao, and indicated for her to walk forward. 

__

Score.

Misao beamed up at him and grasped Rei by the hand. "So your name is Aoshi-Sama?"

Kaoru sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "I had better get to work on those papers then, Sou-chan. I will be in my office."

Soujiro smiled at her. "All right Kaoru-San."

Kaoru left without giving anyone a second glance. 

Soujiro smiled at them. "Since I assume that you are going to start making sure that they are alive from this point on, Kaoru's office is the third one down the hall. Please take good care of them." _Lets see how well you handle an irate Kaoru._

Sano waited till after Soujiro had shut the door before turning to Kenshin. "He sure is trusting."

"Not as much as you think." Kenshin said softly. "I have heard that he had a uncanny ability to be able to see those trust worthy. Besides, he is right about the child. She will be able to see who is trust worthy and who is not. Besides I have worked with Soujiro before."

They all turned. "When?"

Kenshin just smiled.

"Kenshin, what do you wish us to do for now?" Yahiko questioned. He could see the amber glint in his eyes and knew his friend was planning something. 

Kenshin was most likely going to attach himself to Kaoru's side this time. 

"Yahiko, you and Tsubame need to go and gather whatever supplies you think your going to need. I want you to then get the apartment under Kaoru and Misao's. I really don't care how you to get in there just do it."

"Megumi and Sano, I need to two to start using that information you have gathered and start tracking down those who had alliances with Shishio the first time around and find out what there up to."

They all nodded.

"What are you going to do?" Megumi asked gently. 

Kenshin turned and started walking towards the door. "I am going to make sure no one takes a cheap shot and attempts to take out Kaoru early on in this game. Anyone who keeps tabs on the Underworld will start to narrow down who could have the child; Enishi will have his best working on it. Most of those trails are going to lead back this office and those who work here"

"Sure Kenshin." Yahiko agreed with him. They all moved to leave but Yahiko stopped next to his long time Father figure. "Take care of her okay?"

Kenshin nodded and started to move down the hall where Soujiro had said her office was. 

~*~

Misao hummed to herself as she stepped out of the shower, her long dark was wrapped in a towel. Pulling on the shorts and T-shirt she had brought with her, she sighed in satisfaction as she opened the door and then scrunched the soft carpet with her toes. 

"Clean at last." Misao moaned to herself as she attempted to remove all the moisture in her hair with the towel. To use a blow dryer would take close to thirty minuets to get her hair completely dry. And Misao was just feeling to lazy right now to spend that much time bent over. 

Sitting down on the couch she sighed in absolute bliss. 

"Tea?"

Misao looked up and blinked. _OHHHHHH he made tea!_ Misao smiled up at him and accepted the cup. "You made tea?" Misao crooned her tone beyond perky.

Aoshi just saw down in the chair next to the couch she was laying on. Misao placed the cup of tea on the coffee table in front of her and quickly braided her hip length hair into a tight braid. Picking her tea back up she leaned back and sighed. 

Until a little body wiggle into her side, causing Misao to balance her cup of hot tea hurriedly, surprising her. 

"Rei clean!" A little voice piped up from Misao's leg.

Misao reached down, after she had placed the tea (after drinking most of it) onto the table, and cuddled the green-eyed child close. "So am I!"

Rei placed her little hands on her mouth and giggled. Misao smiled and traced her finger down the girl's nose. Rei snuggled into Misao's neck and gave a soft yawn.

"Rei sleepy."

Misao smiled and ran her hand through her hair. "Go to sleep then. Do you want me to move you to my bed?"

"Rei stay here with Mi!"

Misao grinned and nodded. "Okay." She waited till the little girls breathing was deep and even before shifting her to a more comfortable position. "So why don't you tell me the real reason you are so interested in helping Kaoru and I?"

"What makes you think we other motives?" Aoshi asked, his tone curious as he made not attempt to pretend she had asked someone else, as if there was someone else there. 

"Call it women's intuition." Misao responded cheekily. For some reason she couldn't find it in her to alarmed that she was with this incredibly strong Vampire, and for some reason it made her feel safe. 

"How did you get all my Kunai any way?" Misao questioned, changing the subject unconsciously.

"I looked for them."

Misao shifted and blinked at him. "Huh?"

Aoshi walked to the window. "If you need to sleep do so. I will not let anything harm you."

Misao sat there blinking repeatedly. This guy was weird. But very, very cute, and she could live with being guarded by a man as handsome as he was. 

"Thank you Aoshi-Sama."

Misao shut her eyes and let the warmth of the little girl keep her warm. By the time Aoshi had found the blanket she was fast asleep. 

~*~

Kaoru sighed as she finished filing the last of last night's paper work. Setting the last file aside she began to rummage through her desk looking for that packet of hair ties she knew she had put in here a week ago; just for emergencies. 

Cursing under breath Kaoru stood up and walked over to Misao's desk. It was far more cluttered than her own desk and Kaoru wrinkled her nose at it. Fishing through the folders and scattered pens and pencil's her eyes narrowed when she found the package already opened and missing several of her favorite colors. 

Securing a pale blue one Kaoru quickly tossed her dark hair into a high ponytail and sighed in the satisfaction of having the long strands off her neck and shoulders. 

Kaoru looked at herself in the mirror Misao had insisted on putting on the wall incase her dream man ever needed help, that way she could '_fix myself up all pretty like_', and sighed. "Maybe its time just to hack it all off."

"Don't you dare." The voice was the warm croon she had begun to associate with the man name Himura Kenshin, Battousai and Heir to darkness. It was rather unfair that his voice was enough to turn her into a warm sticky pile of mush. 

Kaoru turned then with one eyebrow arched high over her eyes. "Excuse me?"

Kenshin shut the door softly behind him and gave her a once over. Her hair was in the high ponytail that was familiar enough to cause him to ache, her eyes where just as dark blue with that same fringe of thick, dark lashes. Her face was still peaches and cream and the bruise was stark against her fragile skin from the night before was a dark reminder of the danger she was in. 

Her full bottom lip was still as kissable and right now it was pulled into a rather disapproving frown he was practically begging himself to kiss off. 

Instead he leaned against the door and gave allowed himself to rakishly run his eyes down her full figure, all the while a small grin pulled at his lips. "It would be such a shame to cut such beautiful hair." 

Kaoru twitched slightly at the roughness and absolute need in his voice. What was this man's problem? 

Kaoru rolled her eyes and moved back to her desk to finish filing the last few reports she had gotten from several sources on Enishi's movements. One thing she prided on her people was there ability to gather information regardless of what she asked them. 

She would have to give the information she and Misao had collected to Soujiro so he could give it to Saitou. 

"Is there a reason your in here? If you're looking for directions to the bathroom you could have asked my secretary." Kaoru did not look up at him to sense his amusement; his Ki practically screamed it. It was the other, darker emotion she felt from that confused her. 

Kaoru blinked when two hands where placed flat on her desk in front of her. Kaoru looked up and froze when she noticed once again how close he was to her. Kaoru moved to kick herself and the chair backwards, thank Kami for chairs with wheels, when he grasped her wrists. 

"Kaoru," his voice was lower than before and Kaoru had to force herself not to shudder. "Do not hide behind such a thick wall." He shifted her wrists together and held them easily with one hand. He brushed a strand of hair that had worked its way loose behind her ear with his now free fingers, and then let his fingers trail down her jaw. 

"How did you know my name? You knew if even before you got here." Kaoru whispered, mentally slapping herself for sounding breathless. 

He trailed his thumb over bottom lip and this time Kaoru did shudder. "I will always know your name Kaoru, always." He reached down and lightly kissed both sides of her mouth before delicately kissing her bottom lip. He pulled back and starred into her wide, startled eyes. 

"I will be waiting for you to finish whatever you need to." Kenshin whispered before walking over and setting himself down at one of the cushioned chairs and simply watched her. 

Kaoru blinked and then bit back a growl. He had just waltzed in here, not answered her question, or at least what she would consider an answer, and then kissed her. 

Well granted it wasn't what she would call a kiss -but that was beside the point- shooting him a heated glare Kaoru turned her back to him and began to rapidly accumulate the information on the computer. 

Misao and Kaoru both used a series of programs that a grateful Vampire had designed for them some time ago. He was one of the few that they still kept in constant contact with, as he had opened an electronics shop a few months ago, and thanks to the system they used they could encrypt files easily and accumulate information quickly. They searched out patterns and possible attacks with whatever they could get their hands on.

Kaoru ran a hand through her hair and turned the chair and quickly went through her files and grabbed the one she was looking for and chewed on her bottom lip as she thought over the information.

As for Kenshin he knew the moment she forgot he was in the room with her. Her Ki relaxed and her shoulders loosened up. He enjoyed watching her work, and the way she chewed on her bottom lip when she was deep in thought. 

If she ever decided to give up the habit he would happily take over. 

Kaoru sighed as she finished with the paper work Soujiro needed and rolled her shoulders as she stood and stretched. She heard the faint intake of breath and turned in surprise. "Your still here?"

Kenshin stood with her. "What you have failed to understand, Kaoru, is that I will always be here."

Kaoru narrowed her eyes at him. "And if I don't want you here?" To her it was a simply matter of getting him to leave. 

Kenshin walked forward and Kaoru repressed the urge to move backwards, she had not intention of being bullied by _anyone_. He grasped her hand and brought it to his scared cheek. It was warm under her cool fingers and she blinked when his thumb began to trace the back of her knuckles, the same knuckles he had kissed last night. "Kaoru if you ever tell me with absolute certainty that you have no wish to be around me, I shall simply do everything in my power to change your mind." He smirked at her startled expression. 

He leaned forward. "I do not give up what is mine easily."

Kaoru frowned at him. "I am _not_ yours." Her tone was irritated and Kenshin allowed himself a full-blown smile at that. 

He traced his free hand down her cheek and then placed his index finer at her temple. "Here, is where you do not _think_ your mine." He took her other hand a raised it to his lips and then placed it on her heart. "Here is where you _know_ you belong to me. Deny it all you wish, Kaoru. But in the end you will belong to me." His amber eyes glowed. "You will _always_ belong to me."

Kaoru stared at him. "Of all the..." Kaoru jerked her hands free and shoved him away from her. Turning she grasped the disk for Soujiro and turned back around. He stood where had been pushed back to and Kaoru was given the impression that the only reason he had moved was because he had allowed himself to be moved.

Moving down the hall Kaoru tapped on Soujiro's door and walked inside to drop the file off. He was on the phone so he nodded his thanks. She motioned that she was leaving and he nodded, pointing to the phone to signify that he would call if he needed anything and Kaoru nodded. 

Kaoru reached the door and almost groaned at the fact that Kenshin was still out there. "Mr. Himura," Kaoru started but he stopped her.

"Kenshin. Call me Kenshin." His eyes where faintly shadowed with what could have been a memory but Kaoru shrugged it off. 

She turned and swiftly moved by him, her feet almost silent against the stairs as she moved towards the door. Once getting outside she started to walk down the sidewalk. 

"Kenshin, where exactly do you think your going?" He had followed her out of the building and she was trying to figure out exactly where it was that he thought he was going.

"Where ever you are." Was his soft answer, and Kaoru couldn't help but shoot him an annoyed look.

"I hope you like buses then." Kaoru commented dryly. Her car was back at the apartment as she and Misao had used the company car and been on foot for most of last night. Which would be the reason why her feet where killing her. 

Kenshin stopped her by gently grasping her arm. "I have a car. I will be more than willing to drive you home, Kaoru."

Kaoru wished he would stop saying her name like that. It was almost like he was rolling it around and caressing every vowel slowly. Almost as gentle and loving as a lover's voice in the night. 

Kaoru opened her mouth to answer him, but was interrupted.

"Hitokiri Battousai and with his lovely reincarnated mate," A mocking voice roughly hissed at them. " What a lovely surprise. This time I will kill you, Himura, and perhaps take her for myself."

Kaoru froze at the utter fury that crossed Kenshin's face and then turned to see a man with hair that appeared to have borrowed from a broom. " I am Cho the Sword Collector of the Juppongatana, and I want revenge." 

__

Misao rushed through the crowds, her little form moving as rapidly as possible.

"Aoshi-Sama, wait please!"

The tall man did not stop and Misao picked her speed up. "STOP_ Aoshi-Sama, I even asked nicely!"_

He made no move to walk faster, or_ stop, so she through her entire form onto his back and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Please don't go."_

"Misao, let go of me."

" I won't."

"Misao." This time there was an edge to his voice.

She tightened her grip on his waist and gritted her teeth in frustration. "You're leaving!"

"Misao, let me go now."

"You don't have to leave because of what happened." She felt him stiffen but pressed on, her Aoshi-Sama needed to know she did not blame him. "Its okay!"

He turned then, his eyes as hard as ice; an expression she was not used to having turned on her. Her eyes filled with tears and she glared at him. 

"Misao, I don't ever want to see you again."

She froze and then placed one little hand on his heart. "Here is what matters Aoshi-Sama. And here is where you will always be Aoshi-Sama. It doesn't matter what that man turned you into. I don't care!" She raised tear filled eyes to his face and smiled. "If you have to leave for a while, and you can't take me with you, at least promise to come back to me!"

Aoshi slowly removed her arms from his waist and turned back around. 

"I will always be watching and waiting for Aoshi-Sama." She bunched her little hands together in his shirt and looked at him. "When I am older I will come after you Aoshi-Sama!"

He never even looked back. 

"And I will always_ follow you Aoshi-Sama."_

Always.

Am I a stinker or what?


	6. Chapter Six

Another chapters is out and ready to go! I hope you all enjoy this, and I _know_ I have been saying this but it will get darker. Building up to it taking longer than I thought it would. For all of you who are waiting for Vampires to be Vampires, well it should start to happen soon! Battousai is ready to come out (he has been threatening me) and I promise that there will tons of K/K action soon! And some M/A for all those who want it!

Please let me know what you think with a review! It helps me figure out just how dark this piece of fiction should be. 

Remember I do not own the Kenshin-Gumi. It's a sad sad world. 

Ravyn

_Kenshin stood there, his eyes wide with shock as he stared at his shishou. In order to defeat the ones that even now threatened his loved ones; he had to become what?_

_"Excuse me, shishou, but a what?" Kenshin questioned his eyes glazed slightly with shock. _

_"A Vampire Kenshin. You are my heir to darkness and only the King of Darkness can win against what you wish to go against. So that means I must change you, and then you must use the attack I have taught you to its fullest extent."_

_"But shishou!" Kenshin's voice was soft with surprise. _

_Hiko looked down at his Baka Deshi and sighed. " Baka Deshi, listen to me. Shishio is not human. He may have been once but he is not now, and he never will be again. Even now he plots to bring your world down around your ears, and then Tokyo. He has no love for life but for the blood lust that sings in his blood."_

_"Neither Rurouni Kenshin, or Himura the Battousai has what it takes to stop such a force of nature." Hiko declared firmly. _

_"Shishou, then who is to beat him?" Kenshin questioned, looking crestfallen._

_"The man you have hidden so very well under your emotions. The man you were before the Hitokiri, the man before the Rurouni. The Hitokiri was made as a defense against the horrors of the Bakumatsu; the Rurouni was formed as a defense from the Hitokiri. For you to be able to _master_ the Succession technique, not just use it, you must find the man inside and let loose the emotional barriers."_

_Kenshin dropped his head and struggled with himself. "But shishou I do not know how to do this. I have seen and done to many things to allow my walls to go down."_

_Hiko sighed. _"Baka Deshi!_ By allowing yourself to become what I wish to make you, it will open the path to this. You may one day be able to do this yourself. But if two seconds of what you really are defeated me, imagine what you can do with your life if you allow yourself to be Kenshin, neither Rurouni nor Battousai. ."_

_Kenshin closed his eyes. "Will I be a danger to those I love? If you change me will I become a threat to my family?"_

_Hiko shook his head. "No."_

_Kenshin raised his head. "Then I will do this one last thing. And I will beat Shishio." And may Kaoru-dono, Yahiko, Sano, and Megumi-dono forgive me._

Kaoru stood there, blinking at the Vampire who was in front of her. He had dropped his fangs in the way a male Vampires getting ready to fight, and Kaoru turned to see Kenshin in a familiar stance.

"Sold your soul already, Cho?" Kenshin demanded his tone harsh, his golden gaze ablaze. Kaoru took an involuntary step backwards. 

"Your mine this time Battousai!" Cho pulled out his whip like sword and took a stance. 

Kenshin moved in front of Kaoru. "Kaoru, it would be best if you moved away form this battle scene." 

Kaoru narrowed her eyes in anger. "No." Kaoru's voice was flint and steel and Kenshin barely hid a growl. 

"Kaoru, you might get hurt." His voice was lower yet and Kaoru risked looking at him. He was looking at Cho, but his jaw was clenched and Kaoru blinked at the expression in his eyes.

Turning to back to the broom-head that was in front of them she narrowed her eyes as she saw the long, almost slinky like sword that he was un-winding from his waist.

"Kenshin," Kaoru hissed, "As superman like you may be, I don't know if you can fight both Cho and his lackey's." 

"Are you going to let her tell you what to do Battousai?" Cho demanded. "I would have thought you could at least keep you mate under better control."

Kaoru growled at that. "I am _not_ his mate!" What was it with these psycho Vampires that seemed to be coming out of the frame work either saying she was a rather desirable treat, or she was someone else's treat.

Cho shrugged his shoulders. "Either you're his or your not. If you're not, I might be willing to make you mine."

Kenshin growled low in the back of his throat at that.

"Enough talk." Cho warned as he swung his sword foreword. Kaoru dove behind a light post and rolled, her silver belt-whip extending from her fingertips as she brutally slammed one frying underling into another the where slowly starting to close in on them.  

"I have these, Kenshin, you think you handle broom head?" Kaoru questioned over her shoulder as she moved through them. These types of Lackeys where created rather easily from the bodies of those killed by werewolves and where more zombie like than real Vampires. They where incredible stupid but still very strong and when in large numbers they could be rather dangerous. So far the only living creature Kaoru had seen so far was Cho, and he closer the death than living anyway.  

Blood path vampires rarely lived _lives_ because they had the right; they lived because they had stolen someone else's life. 

Kenshin dodged Cho's attacks easily. The man had underestimated him by quite a bit, and for that he would pay with his tedious hold on life. Again. Kenshin could feel the stolen blood pounding through his adversary's weak body and knew that he had not feed recently. 

Which meant that he had not attacked because he wanted to. Which meant that Cho was simply a diversion of some sort. 

Kaoru.

Shifting forward Kenshin moved past Cho's blade with his god speed and skated behind him. Unsheathing his sword he removed Cho's head. Normally he would have attempted to talk the man out of this particular life style, as he could still find his way off the Paths if he had not been on them long, but Kaoru was in danger and he had no intention of letting her get hurt.

Besides, Cho would have simply fought him till the energy in his blood left him and then died anyway. Best to make his passing as easy as possible. 

Kaoru was starting to get worried. No matter how many of these things she managed to keep from standing back up, more always appeared. It was almost as if she was being heralded towards something or someone. She was quite a distance from where the fight had started and there was something ticking at the back of her brain. 

It wasn't until she heard the low howl and felt something slam into her shoulder that she realized what it was. 

The office building that Soujiro had chosen was near one of the nicer parks in the area. If you went down a few flights of steps you actually would find yourself on the biking and jogging paths that where there. 

Kaoru gave a yelp of pain and surprise as she was tumbled down several steps and hit hard on the cement once she hit. Groaning Kaoru looked around for her weapon but found only mass zombies and one transformed werewolf. 

It wasn't a full moon and it sure as hell wasn't dark so...Kaoru shrieked and scuttled backwards. The damn thing had a blood amulet. 

And she was defenseless. 

Kaoru heard the sounds of bodies falling and just as the werewolf launched itself at her throat she saw a blur and the werewolf was send backwards, a Katana buried in its throat. 

Kaoru licked her dry lips and turned to Kenshin who was starring at the now dead creature with an expression that scared her. 

He didn't even look at her as he went to get his Katana and Kaoru shrieked. "NO!"

He stopped at turned looking at her in confusion, a hint of the earlier anger in his eyes. "What?"

Kaoru attempted to stand and then fell back down when her ankle protested the movement. "It has a blood amulet on his throat! You have to remove it and break it before you can get to your sword or it will just reabsorb its power and attack you again! Blood amulets are made to absorb Ki and blood of those it has either killed or injured. Its the only way those things can shift forms before the full moon."

Kenshin walked over and with one quick yank had the amulet in his hands. "How exactly do you destroy one of these things?" Kenshin questioned irritably. 

"Smashing it works. But may I suggest you throw it against something, that way you are not near it when the built up blood Ki is let loose." Kaoru instructed. "Misao and I found about these things on a rather nasty raid." Kaoru shuddered in memory of the hair brained stunts they had to pull to get the little boy they where saving out of that particular werewolves den. 

Kenshin tossed the amulet against the stone wall just next to the steps. It exploded and a dull red cloud rose before dissipating into thin air. Kenshin then turned and removed his Katana from the dead carcass and snapped his wrist to remove the blood. 

Walking over to Kaoru he dropped in front of her and gently grasped her injured ankle. "Anything else hurt?" His tone was soft and gentle, as where his hands and he eased her ankle out of her shoe. Kaoru wasn't sure how he knew which ankle it was, or that it was an ankle, but she really didn't feel like asking right then.

"Nothing besides a few bumps and bruises." Kaoru said softly as he cradled the swollen ankle. 

"I don't think it's broken but Megumi-dono will want a look at it. I will have to give her a call once I get you to your apartment." Kenshin said softly, almost as if he was talking to himself. 

Reaching down he handed her the shoe and then placed one arm around her back and one under her knees. In one single swift motion he stood his arms cradling her against his chest. 

"What do you think you are doing?" Kaoru spluttered at him. "It's just a sprain, I can walk."

Kenshin grandly ignored her, no matter how much arguing she did. 

Kaoru was in the process of tugging on his bangs in irritation when she felt cool metal against her back. Turning her head as she heard the sounds of a car door being opened she sighed when she was placed on cool leather seats. 

"Kenshin I could have walked!" 

Shaking his head Kenshin sprinted around to the other side and slide into the drivers seat. Kaoru buckled herself in quickly and leaned backwards. 

"So, Kaoru, how do I get to your apartment?"

~*~

Misao sleepily stirred from the warm ball she had found herself curled into. Blinking her eyes open slowly she shifted under a blanket and noticed that Rei was no longer curled up into her side. 

Sitting up slowly Misao became aware of light childish laughter coming from behind her. Blinking sleepily Misao turned and frowned lightly. The tentative frown turned into a huge smile when she saw both Rei and Aoshi.

Rei was planted in Aoshi's lap, her hands pressed over her mouth to muffle her giggles. In front of her was a picture book that held some of her and Kaoru's favorite fairytale's. Aoshi wore a stoic expression but his lips curved into a slight smile that for some reason, delighted Misao.

"Read it again Aoshi-San!  I want to here about the lady who helped save the Beast! Please Aoshi-San? Rei love stories Aoshi-San!" Rei chirped up at him, her pale green eyes dancing with mischief and laughter. 

Aoshi smiled at the little girl and gently closed the book. Misao and Rei both gave similar pouts, Rei because she wanted her story, Misao because she wanted to here him talk. His voice was like honeyed silk and Misao would have been happy hearing it for the rest of her life. 

"Its time to fix dinner." Aoshi softly told the child, his hands and voice gentle. Misao had this itching feeling at the back of her mind, something telling her that she should remember something, but just as quickly as she had felt it; it disappeared.

"I'll make dinner!" Misao said cheerfully jumping up. Rei gave a startled shriek and then giggled again, her eyes dancing with mischief.

"You scared Rei Mi!" Rei said happily. Once again Misao was reminded of a young her, and that thought caused her to smile. 

"I am so sorry Rei, how about you help me pick out what where going to eat!" Misao asked just as cheerfully and Misao could have sworn she caught a slight sparkle in Aoshi's eyes. 

"Rei would love to help Mi!" Rei squealed wiggling out of Aoshi's lap, the book long forgotten.  

Misao swept the wiggling body up and they trudged into the kitchen. Misao held Rei as they looked through the pantry and both wrinkled their noses at there limited options. 

"Do you feel like instant Raman?" Misao questioned Rei doubtfully. 

Rei wrinkled her nose in the same manner she had just seen Misao. "Rei does not like." 

Misao nodded. "Normally I go and get fresh groceries to make dinner when we need them, since we are normally not home, otherwise we live off this stuff since Kaoru can not cook." Misao walked over and placed the child on the counter. "If Kaoru-Chan ever offers to cook you something to eat, say no."

Rei nodded. "No to Kao-Chan cooking."

Misao walked over to the phone and grabbed a series of menus that she and Kaoru had collected. "What type of food DO you like, Rei?"

Rei chewed on her bottom lip and the discussion was on. Aoshi came in somewhere in the middle of the arguing and they finally decided on appropriate food. 

"Tomorrow we will have to go shopping to buy groceries," Misao mumbled to herself as she hung the phone up after ordering. "I can not live off this stuff everyday!"

"Eat out often?" Aoshi asked softly. Misao had the thought that if this man every rose his voice it wouldn't be pretty.

"Yes." Misao wrinkled her nose. "Most of the time if I am cooking we get good home made meals, but when its Kaoru's night.... Raman or take out or the usual fare."

Aoshi gave a slight smile of amusement the Misao missed because she had turned back to Rei. But Rei did see it and she clapped her hands in delight. 

Misao blinked when the phone rang. "Hello."

"Misao can you please open the damn door in about thirty seconds?" Kaoru's sugar sweet voice was laced with venom and Misao jumped off the stole. 

"Is there a reason why you can't open it?" Misao questioned as she sprinted across the small apartment. 

"He _won't let me walk." _

Misao blinked at the phone as she unlocked the door. "How does that effect you opening the door Kaoru?"

As she opened the door Misao blinked at the sight of Kenshin carrying Kaoru the last few feet into the apartment. 

"Kaoru what happened?" Misao questioned worriedly. She had seen Kaoru run like the hounds of hell where after her with a fractured toe, so Kaoru being carried meant she was in quite a bit of pain.

"It's not bad at all Misao. Over protective here won't let me walk, move, or even _breathe with out his explicit permission." Kaoru's tone was acid itself. Kenshin lightly set her down on the couch. _

"Keep that foot elevated." Kenshin warned as he placed a pillow under it.

Misao looked over at the red-haired man. " Himura-San?"

"Kenshin." He said without looking at her. "And she fell down two flights of steps with several zombie's helping her down the way."

Kaoru growled. "You act like it has never happened before. I am a big girl Kenshin," Kaoru's voice was beyond frustrated and Misao had the feeling they had been over this before. "I can _take care of myself_. You act like I am breakable and I am not! I am used to looking after myself!"

Kenshin leaned close. "As of right now you will not _ever _have that problem again."

Kaoru glared back, her back ramrod straight in anger. "Why you..."

"Kao!" A cheerful voice said as Rei scampered in. "Your back!"

Kaoru yanked her furious gaze away from Kenshin and then grinned at the little girl, and if her smile was strained no one said a word. " Yes I am."

Rei looked at Kaoru and frowned. "Your hurt!"

Kaoru ran a gentle hand through the girl's bangs, "It's not bad. Don't worry I will be perfectly fine if I could get away from over protective red-heads who I don't even know." 

Kenshin ignored her, the smart thing to do in Misao's opinion, and gently pealed Kaoru's sock off her swollen foot. 

"Not anything! Kamiya Kaoru!" Misao screeched in shock. She totally missed the startled glances Kenshin and Aoshi gave her as she berated her best friend. "You entire FOOT is black! I mean that bruising is going to go halfway up your leg before its done! And your TOES are black!"

Rei even joined in much Kaoru's chagrin. "Black foot! Painful; you not okay!"

Kenshin even let out a hiss of sympathy. "Aoshi do you mind calling Megumi and seeing if she can come over here and look at this?"

Kaoru opened her mouth to argue but quickly closed her mouth when she met Kenshin furious glare. Kaoru knew, somehow, that he wasn't so much angry at her, but at the fact that she was hurt. 

She had no idea how she knew this, she was just aware that she did. 

Kaoru froze when his look gentled and dark violet eyes softened as they watched her. Kaoru watched with something akin to fascination as he tucked a stray strand of dark hair behind her ear, his touch and face the most gentle she had ever seen or felt from a man. 

It was a stark contrast to the man who had practically ripped the Zombie's apart piece by piece. 

"_Kenshin! That tickles!" _

_Warm hands slide down her sides looking for the ticklish places that she knew he was going to find. _

_Looking up breathless once his hands had stilled she gazed into his warm eyes and blushed. _

Kaoru blinked repeatedly. His warm eyes had a hint of amusement in them and Kaoru vaguely wondered what in the world she had missed. 

"Anyway," Misao said loudly breaking the spell that had somehow wound around her and Kenshin twice in the past thirty seconds, "You got attacked. Himura here mentioned something about Zombies? Those things normally have something controlling them, so what was it."

Kaoru grimaced. "A werewolf with a Blood Amulet."  
  


Misao groaned. "Another one of those things?"

"I think this was one of the newer types of Amulets though. It wasn't one of the older models that are a bit more complicated and harder to destroy. The werewolf was easily killed."

Misao dropped onto the loveseat her expression thoughtful. "So that information that Saito gave us is pretty much true then. The older the Amulet the stronger the Blood Ki, hence the reason it makes it harder for us to kill them."

Kaoru nodded her head.  "But what had me concerned is how they are making those Amulets in the first place. After looking at the one that we got our hands on before Saito destroyed it, it was made out of something very much like glass but had been twisted by something."

Misao's expression was just as disconcerted. She then brightened up as she smiled at Kaoru. "We really shouldn't worry too much about it, that's Saito's division's job remember?"

Kaoru made a face but her reply was lost in the yelp that followed to Kenshin placing a package of ice against her ankle. "That's cold!" Kaoru growled in annoyance. Even through the towel that he had draped over her ankle so as not to get burned by the ice, it was still freezing.

Kenshin smiled then. "It's supposed to be."

Rei nodded her head in agreement with Kenshin. "Ice. Cold!"

Kaoru snatched a pillow and fell back, the pillow covering her face. "Everyone is against me!"

~*~

After the food had been devoured Megumi had shown up and looked at Kaoru's ankle. She had informed Kenshin that she should stay off of it for the next 48 hours as much as possible and ice it three times a day for no more than fifteen minuets and to keep taking the Advil she had brought. Besides that and keeping the foot wrapped there was very little that could be done. 

Misao chewed on the end on her braid thoughtfully as her fingertips flew across the keyboard of the lab top she had placed on her lap so that she and Kaoru could work on some of the files they had left lacking the last few days thanks to excitement. 

Kaoru was currently sitting with her leg propped up and a series of papers falling around her and the couch. Both women where doing there best to ignore the curious stares of Megumi, Kenshin, and Aoshi. 

Rei was sound asleep in Aoshi's arms and Misao was left to wonder what exactly seemed to not only be drawing herself in but Rei as well. There was something behind the ice façade and it was as enticing as it was mysterious. 

Misao loved puzzles. 

"I think that the last of the information we have collected." Kaoru said thoughtfully as she handed Misao a series of notes and documents to be plug into the computer. Misao nodded her agreement before adding the information into the correct files. 

"What exactly do you two do?" Megumi's voice questioned smoothly and Kaoru had to wonder exactly how long they had wanted to ask that question. 

"You mean besides getting in out of situations that are life threatening and hiding those who need to be hidden?" Misao questioned, her normal edge of playfulness entering into her voice. 

"That's one of way of saying it." Kenshin agreed. 

"We help out the other branch of our department by collecting data. Sou-chan is in charge of making sure the information we give him is given to Saito. But because we have continual contact with those who have the most information about the darker aspects of the Underworld we work as great information bases." Kaoru said with a shrug as she began replacing the scattered notes. 

"Kaoru and I are super spies."  Misao said with a grin. "We also have contacts in just about every aspect of the Underworld. Which was why we where put in charge of finding Rei since we where the only two who had any chance of calling in favors enough to locate her."

Kaoru and Misao smiled as it had only taken one contact to find her, but there was no need for these people to know how many contacts or exactly who they had talked to. 

Misao hit the save button and jumped up to help the immobile Kaoru gather papers. Placing the lab top on top of the box of files Misao headed into her room to place the information in the safe she had in there. 

Misao looked at the clock and blanched. It was nearing midnight and she at least had to get to work tomorrow at eight sharp. She had already called Soujiro, much to Kaoru's annoyance, and told her what was up with her friend's ankle.  

"I think its time for me to turn in." Misao said softly to Kaoru. Turning to Aoshi she offered her him a smile. "She can sleep with me. Do you want to carry or shall I?"

Aoshi stood and motioned with his head for Misao to lead them to her room. The first thing Aoshi noticed was how soothing the colors of her room were. Decorated in a series of greens the room was dark enough to sooth his light sensitive eyes and bright enough to show Misao's personality. 

Placing the little girl on the Queen sized bed he let his eyes scan and immediately noticed a towel on the floor next to what looked like some sort of doll collection. 

Reaching down he picked the towel up and raised a questioning brow to Misao was turning around with a shirt that should have been small enough for the little girl to sleep in. 

Misao beamed up at him. "It's my doll collection. I made them myself. Kaoru accuses me of having an unhealthy love for play dough and revenge."

Aoshi blinked. "Revenge?"

Misao's smile brightened. "These are all Kaoru and my ex-boyfriends." 

Aoshi blinked and took a closer look and saw several play dough shaped dolls stuck with pins and several other painful looking objects. Aoshi looked back up at Misao in surprise but she calmly placed the towel back over them and then hummed as she moved to her closet. 

Life with Misao was never boring. 

Aoshi watched her as long as he dared, his soul and eyes drinking her in like had been all day, and slowly he slipped out of the door craving for a time when he could stay and brush her hair for her and watch her change her clothing. A day when she was _his. _

~*~

Kaoru woke up screaming. 

It wasn't a normal and natural thing for her to hear Misao in the background, her own blood curdling screams echoing, and Kaoru was not used to having her door slammed open and a red haired man standing with blazing gold eyes as her screams where fading. 

"Kaoru?" His voice was surprised and harsh. 

Kaoru was to caught up in the fact that she had woken up screaming for the first time since she was a child to think of the fact that he was here, in her room, while she had only a moderately long t-shirt on, instead she was busy tossing the covers away from her from and attempting to stand. 

Her bad foot catching the floor was enough to make her howl again but then she was caught in strong arms and lifted. 

"Kaoru?" This time his eyes where back to violet and showed concern. 

"Misao, I need to get to Misao!" Her hands where wrapped in the collar of his shirt her eyes wide and frantic. Her hair fell in a heavy curtain around her shoulders and even though part of him demanded that he just stay there and hold her, his feet where moving towards Misao's room before her sentence was finished. 

Misao had Rei wrapped in her arms with Aoshi standing next to her, his expression clearly stating he wanted to hurt someone. 

"Misao, did you see it to?" Kaoru's voice was frantic hedged with tears that she was attempting to hold back. 

Misao raised wide tear filled eyes and nodded. 

Rei looked up and said in a small voice, "He is coming. Isn't he?"

Kaoru buried her head in her hands and nodded. 

_It was one fire. _

_Frantically Kaoru grasped her Bokken and opened her door to attempt to find Yahiko. The smoke made it hard to see anything that was going on. _

_Which was why she thought she was alone till a Katana buried itself in her stomach. Kaoru looked up in surprise and agony and crumbled when it was pulled out. _

_"This is his fault." The words where honey coated and surprisingly gentle. "The Battousai fault for brining you into this and for not protecting you better, so hate him blue bird." _

_Bandaged fingers tilted her chin and Kaoru met eyes as red as coal. "Hate him as I do."_

Kaoru didn't notice she had her head buried into his neck until she noticed his arms wrapped around her.  Shuddering in his arms she raised her eyes to Misao. 

"Something very bad is on its way here."

Something wrapped in bandages and hate, something that wanted to destroy this amber eyed man with the darling little girl who was clinging to Misao, something that licked at her very soul.

And was coming closer. 

Once again I am a stinker!

I would like to note that for sprains there is very little you can do. Four years of basketball had taught me that much! And it is possible for you toes to turn blue and most of your lower leg. And let me tell you it HURTS! 

Kaoru, under the circumstances, is much braver than I was. 

I would also like to note that I will explain who our mystery man in bandages, if you haven't figured it out, is. And how he is able to be there…..

The answers WILL come!

I hope you all enjoyed!


	7. Chapter Seven

And here we go again!

Okay! One of these days my Muses are going to let me do what I want, and when they do, who knows what will happen. A little lime in this chapter, a little more territorial Aoshi, and a little bit more explanation. I hope that one day I will be DONE with the explanations of history and so on....

Once again a THANK YOU to those who are reviewing, because you guys are the best, and here is a few answers to some of the comments!

Violet Goddess: I know! I am so sorry about the mistakes that I don't catch! A big thank you to all my readers, I am going to go back one of these days and go back over and fix what I have missed, but until then thank you for the patience. Beta reading your own story is hard. 

Kitsunehime: I have never heard of the Black Jewel Trilogy. Glad you like the story however. 

Icegal: Kaoru and Kenshin...connection....I promise you will see. To say anything would really just give it away!

To all those who believe I am an evil creature who lives to torment by cliff hangers....your right. However I did not leave you with one this time. Okay maybe a SMALL one with Misao and Aoshi, but besides that nope!

And a thank you to all of those who like my werewolf, vampire world, because its harder than it looks!

Remember I do not own Kenshin or RK....I really wish I did though!

Ravyn

A big thanks to Chris who has managed to review every chapter. I am sure there are more but he just kinda sticks out...

Kenshin protectively wrapped his arms Kaoru's shaking figure and stood easily his burden cradled in his arms. 

"Aoshi, take Misao and Rei to the safe house. I will take Kaoru down stairs to Yahiko and Tsubame rooms and have them stay here to keep an eye on the place."

"That will not be necessary Battousai. " A sultry voice said surely from the living area. 

Kenshin spun, his eyes flashing amber and met a site that caused his eyes to darken to violet in surprise. 

In front of him stood the figure of Yumi, a woman he thought he would never see again. The shuddering frame of Kaoru increased with Yumi's presence. 

"Ah so the girl remembers me." Yumi flashed a humorless smile. "I have come to warn you, Battousai, that Shishio-sama's mistakes will not be repeated in this life time." Her smile was humorless and harsh. "This time you will be destroyed and there is nothing you can do about it."

Kenshin growled at her. "Yumi-dono, you walk a tight rope. Shishio is not yet of this world and I will not let him enter it."

Yumi laughed. "As did his abilities depend on time, so does his time in this world depend on those same abilities. Consider this while you hold that woman close, because _your_ time is limited."

Misao gave a startled squeak as Yumi simply faded. "I didn't believe in ghosts." Misao muttered. "Now I do."

"That was no ghost." Aoshi said softly his eyes narrowed to slits, "She had Ki energy and most Ghosts are simple apparitions that have no contact with the world but simply hover between."

Misao gave him a harsh look. "You sound like you have dealt with them before."

Aoshi simply blinked at her and turned to Rei. "Are you ready to go to a new place? There is a inside pool." 

Kenshin turned at looked over at Aoshi and nodded as he walked out of the room.

Rei's eyes widened to huge proportions. Actually Misao and Rei both had similar expressions, both with eyes wide with surprise. Misao at Aoshi's sudden change of topic, Rei's because she had never heard of an inside pool. "Pool? You will teach Rei how to swim?" Her wide green eyes where full of hopeful surprise. She swung around to give Misao a hopeful glance. 

Misao opened her mouth to argue but Rei had wrapped her arms around her neck. "Teach me to swim Mi!"

Misao groaned in a combination of disgust and acceptance. 

Aoshi turned to look at the moon and hid a smile. "So it's settled then."

Kaoru took a deep shuddering breath as reality slowly began to edge back into her conscience. 

__

Kaoru stepped in front of Suzume and Ayame as a red haired woman with a face that would be gorgeous if it wasn't for the cold glint in her eyes. 

"Its alright Kaoru." Kenshin mummered into her fragrant hair as she attempted to stop her shuddering. "I've got you."

__

"May I help you?" Kaoru questioned easily her eyes narrowed slightly in suspicion. 

"Its such a shame there going to loose someone so important to them so early in life."

Kaoru took a deep breath and attempted to force the images and voices from her head. 

__

"What are you talking about" Kaoru asked, her voice edgy.

The woman smiled. "Say good bye to those you love, Kamiya Kaoru." With that the lady turned and walked away. 

Kaoru finally got her breathing under control and realized two very important things about her current situation. 

She had just had a 'moment', as she and Misao had started to call their dreams and fast visions, and it had involved someone who had looked not only just like her but also had the same name. 

It had involved the same woman who had just appeared and disappeared in a span of fifteen minuets in her room, leaving her with a spinning head and trembling muscles. 

The second thing that registered was the strong arms and soothing voice that was slowly managing to get it through her head that she was safe. Safe from what, Kaoru had no idea, but it was the first time since her father's death that the muscles in the back of her neck had actually relaxed. 

"What happened?" Kenshin questioned softly, his hands moving through her hair. 

"I don't know." Kaoru mummered, her fingers picking at the collar of his shirt, her eyes looking at some distant point in the room. 

"Tell me." Kenshin was delicately attempting to coax the truth from her as he slowly placed the pieces together in his head. 

Kaoru felt the words slip from her mouth, Misao and her growing up through high school, her father's death, the strange dreams. She did manage to keep the dreams about what she could only assume was him out of there conversation, and somehow she felt the weight that had been on her shoulders for years lighten. 

Kenshin pulled back and cupped her face in his hands and traced her cheekbone with his thumb as he pulled her words together. No matter how much he wished to take her back to his place and bind her to him, to change her frame to something much stronger, Kaoru had never been the type of woman to pressure into something. She had to be wooed, coaxed until you had convinced her about the truth of your words. 

Aoshi and Misao walked in about that time, Rei cradled in Aoshi's arms and Kenshin hid a smile at that. There was something about the child that was so Misao like that it was no surprise that Aoshi had taken to her. 

"We are apparently leaving," Misao informed Kaoru, her expression and voice dark with exasperation. "Make sure you keep your cell phone on and I will call you in a few."

Aoshi gentle grasped Misao by the arm and led her out of the room. Stopping as he reached the hall he turned his head. "I will send Yahiko up."

Kenshin nodded and turned back to the blushing Kaoru. Breathing in deeply to attempt to pull in some self-control and concentrated on her eyes, keeping his gaze far from her lips as possible. "Kaoru do you believe in rebirth?"

Kaoru wrinkled her forehead and blinked at him. "Kenshin?"

"All of those dreams and vision you have been having have been a direct response to your contact with Misao and myself." Kenshin said gently. "Every time someone from your past comes into your life your due to have a flashback."

Kaoru looked at him for a long moment. "Are you saying that I lived in the past, died, and was reborn?"

Kenshin quirked his brow slightly and grinned. "That is one way of saying it."

Kaoru didn't know whether or not to believe him. "Did you know that you're insane?"

Kenshin chuckled then, his hands still holding her face. "I could give you back your life memories," _But I don't think you could handle it,_" but its not necessary right now."

Kaoru blinked at him repeatedly. "Excuse me?" 

Kenshin mentally cringed. " I don't think that was the right way to phrase that."

Kaoru reached up and removed his hands. "You think?"

Kenshin mentally groaned. "Kaoru..."

"Himura Kenshin, I am very much tired of you high handedness!" Kaoru snapped the temper she had been keeping a tight hold on for the last twenty-four hours finally breaking. 

"High handedness?" Kenshin questioned his face innocent. 

"From the very first time I met you have been _completely_ high handed!" Kaoru growled at him. "And the _entire_ time I have known you all I here is how I am yours and another load of crock and...." Kaoru sucked in a deep breath and Kenshin watched in amusement as she visible calmed herself. "Get out."

Kenshin blinked at her, "Excuse me?"

"You heard me. I am sick and tired of being treated like a child, and I am sick and tired of having to deal with you. Get. Out. Now."

"Kaoru, of all the things I think of you, a child is not one of them." Kenshin whispered, his voice lowering in octaves, his eye darkening to violet tinged amber. 

Kaoru groaned. "Can't you just leave?"

Kenshin watched her lashes slide onto her cheeks, her face flushed with anger, her hair a thick mass around her shoulders, and suddenly it wasn't about comforting her anymore. It was about him making her realize that he was staying. 

"I warned you." Kenshin told her, her voice so low it was almost a growl and it rumbled through his chest. 

Kaoru opened her eyes to glare at him. "Warned me about what?"

He leaned forward until they where nose to nose. The couch they where sitting on sunk under the combined weight. If he moved his head even a fraction of an inch there lips would touch. "I told you that if you ever decided that you wanted me out of your life that I would change your mind."

"And what does that have to do with anything?" Kaoru hissed. Her anger flashed through her eyes in bright bursts of emotion. 

"You just told me to get out." Kenshin growled at her, his mannerism shifting to something much darker than it had been moments before. 

Kaoru opened her mouth to comment but stiffened when his lips pressed against hers. This time there was nothing gentle about his kiss, it was all fire and heat. Kaoru felt her insides melt at the fire he was branding into her skin and lips. 

And when he traced her bottom lip with his tongue all she could do was open her mouth in compliance and let him reek havoc on her senses. She absently noted his hands in her hair, his form pressing her against the soft cushions. 

He pulled back and traced her jaw and face with feather light kisses as she attempted to catch her breath. 

"When you can let me kiss you like that and not melt, when my touch does not give you butterflies, and when you no longer see me in your dreams, then, and _only_ then Koishii, can you tell me you are not mine." Kenshin buried his face in her neck and breathed deeply the familiar scent of jasmine. Raising up he looked at her sapphire eyes. 

"You're being awful presumptuous." Kaoru breathed.

Kenshin smiled, his eyes edged with amber, his smile edged with a possessiveness that called to her in some primal fashion. 

"Am I?" There was a dark authority that demanded that she give in to him, even before she decided to resist.

Kaoru stared up at him, her breathing irregular, and her eyes dark pools of emotion. Kaoru opened her mouth to say something; anything to distract herself from the feelings his mouth had caused in her, that his words had fueled, when he kissed her again. 

It was gentle this time, coaxing and soft. So at odds with the darker passions Kaoru could feel in his touch and Ki. Kaoru found her fingers itching to bury themselves in his hair, and by the time she had gained the control to stop them, they were knuckle deep in his thick red strands. 

Just as he had pressed the length of himself against her to deepen the kiss once again the door opened with a bang. 

"Kenshin is there a REASON..." Yahiko stopped and blinked at what he saw, Kenshin on top of Kaoru, Kaoru with swollen lips and a flushed face, Kenshin with a Ki that screamed much pain for him. "Why do I get the feeling that I interrupted something?"

Kenshin let out a low growl and Tsubame flushed. She had come in after Yahiko and taking in the flushed faces and conspicuous positions. "Yahiko and I just wanted to tell you that we have company coming. It's not company of the polite society either."

Kenshin extended his awareness and growled. He traced Kaoru's bottom lip with his forefinger. "You koishii, are such a distraction." 

Kaoru glowered at him. But before she could once again comment he had her in his arms and moving towards the window. "Yahiko get to the safe house, Aoshi is there with Misao, and keep your eyes and ears open."

He turned then to face them. "Keep your eyes open. Shishio may not be here, but after tonight's little episode I have this feeling that his hold on this earth is growing, tentative, but there."

With that he dropped from the window onto the pavement underneath, much to Kaoru's surprise from the screams which went through the air. 

Yahiko sighed. "You know, Tsubame, we are always left cleaning everything up."

Tsubame walked over and wrapped her arms around her mate's waist and sighed. "So we are. But the sooner we get out of here the sooner we get back to the safe house."

Yahiko grinned impishly at her. "I think we should go back to our place for some down time first," His smile widened at Tsubame's furious blush. "Once we get to the safe house, we won't get to spend a whole lot of time alone."

Tsubame just smiled sweetly, her face-tinged pink, but her dark eyes shinning. 

~*~

Misao whimpered as she found herself on a train. Misao _hated_ trains. When she was little her mother had taken her on one of those kiddy train rides that amusement parks have, and she had cried the entire time. 

It could have had something to do with the horror stories the two twin neighbors had told her or it could have had something to do with the manner of her beloved parent's death. The only thing that she could think of that matched her fear of the shaky train tracks was Kaoru's fear of spiders. 

Which she would allow as a reason as to why she was clinging to Aoshi-sama's arm with a white knuckled grip some part of her acknowledged was painful. Her blue-green eyes where wide and startled. 

"Mi, are you okay?" Rei questioned as she bent over from the safety of Aoshi's other arm. "Rei is worried about Mi."

Misao forced herself not to show any terminal fear, and forced a strained smile. "I am alright."

Rei leaned back and then began to whisper in Aoshi's ear. Aoshi slide his blue eyes to Misao, much to Misao's horror, and nodded to the little girl. Rei nodded her head and settled back down as they boarded the train. 

Aoshi had somehow managed to get them first class tickets (Misao had not asked how or why) and he lead them to a compartment that they would be in the for the next few hours. Sitting down on one of the compartment benches Aoshi looked at the little girl who sat next to him and both turned to look at Misao. 

She sat across from them with her eyes scrunched shut and her hands clutching the single armrest next to her tightly. Aoshi was afraid if he touched her then she would shoot out of her skin, screaming loud enough to break several sets of eardrums. 

If he thought that she looked tense when they where standing still, it had nothing on the white ash of her complexion when the train started moving. Aoshi set Rei down and made sure the little girl was okay, her smiling face pressed against the window let him to believe that she would be fine, and set next to Misao.

"Misao?" Aoshi questioned gently, and only after she turned her head slightly, never opening her eyes, did he place a solid arm around her shoulders. 

Misao was terrified. 

Her mother had died on a train. Her father had been a mechanic for one and been caught in an explosion when one of the engines had malfunctioned and a rookie mechanic had crossed some high voltage with ready voltage. 

When the train lurched to the side, something all trains where prone to do, Misao groaned and tightened her grip on the chair. 

Aoshi reached over and began to pry her fingers away from the upholstery and pulled her into his side, and gentle cradled her fisted hands in his much larger ones. 

"Misao." Aoshi coaxed gently, attempting to help the woman out. If he had known she was so terrified of trains he would have attempted to find another means of transportation that would have gotten them to Kyoto just as quickly. 

The train lurched again, in the natural course of trains, and Aoshi found Misao buried into his shoulder, her lithe form pressed against his side, her fingers wrapped so tightly in his shirt he thought for an instant that she would rip it. 

Sliding a hand under her knees he shifted the terrified woman to his lap and began rocking her in a back and forward motion, opposite to the side way lurching of the train. 

"I am sorry." Her words were shaky and terrified. 

Aoshi said nothing, his hands moving up and down her back in a soothing motion. 

"My parents where killed either in or by trains." Misao whispered her voice almost lost in the noise of the train. "I have never liked them, even before their deaths I hated trains. I think it had something to do with some sort of childhood prank."

Aoshi sighed softly into her hair. "Its alright Misao." His words where gently. "I promise that your going to be just fine, I won't let anything happen to you."

Misao raised her wide eyes and starred at him with something that was almost a since of wonder. "I haven't had anyone say that to me since I was a little girl."

Aoshi smiled, a softening of his expression that was unexpected, and traced her jaw line with his forefinger. "Someone once told me Misao, that they would always be waiting for me to come back. I never got to tell that person how much I cared for them, or give them the protection and love that they deserved. I don't ever plan to make that same mistake again."

Misao looked up at him with eyes that held a green tint of confusion. "That person must have been very special."

__

You have no idea, Misao. No idea.

Aoshi watched as the landscaping turned to the more mountainous terrain and snarled to himself as he felt the approaching of darker Ki. They where going to attack the train to get at the child. It was morning and he could feel the Blood Ki pounding.

__

Idiots.

Reaching into his pocket he grabbed the cell phone that he always kept there. Punching in the numbers that would contact him with the proper authorities sighed when it picked up.

"Okashira?"

"Were about thirty minutes by train from the drop off. Unfortunately I have company in the form of some very agitated pack members." Aoshi's voice was dark with irritation. It more than a few hyped up mutts on Blood Ki to tick him off. 

"They're going to be running on the Amulet things you told us about?" The woman's voice questioned. 

"Yes." Aoshi's voice was growing in annoyance. 

"Were on it."

Aoshi quickly disconnected and dialed another number. Breathing met the answer to this call. " Battousai, don't bring Kaoru along the tracks, its getting risky."

"Hai." 

Aoshi flipped the phone off and felt the distance between his precious cargo and the wolves. He narrowed his gaze as he looked at the now slumbering Misao and Rei. 

__

Come if you dare.

~*~

Megumi sighed as she watched Sano walk back to the vehicle of his choice. Which meant that they where drawing far to much attention to themselves than they needed to be. 

Which meant she might have to use the semiautomatic weapon loaded in her lap. The silver tipped bullets where rather expensive and dangerous to all those who wished to attempt to threaten either her life or those around her. 

Most would consider her doctors training as a hang-up for killing, but after the years of treating those who had been mangled by the forces that she and the other fought against, taking a few slime bags really did not hamper her in any way.

"Well Fox, seems like we have a bit of a problem." Sano commented as he reentered the car. 

Megumi sighed. "Rooster brains, we always have problems."

Sano flashed her a smile as he kicked the car into gear and shifted forward. "True. You heard from Yahiko on what went down tonight with that red-haired witch?"

Megumi sighed as leaned back. "Yes. But it was Tsubame, which means I probably got more details than you did." Her voice was lazy and amused. 

Sano sighed. "True. Anyway I talked to one of my contacts and it seems that Kenshin's hunch about Shishio being able to stalk about was right."

Megumi flinched, both from his words, and from the sharp turn that he made. "How so?"

Sano made a series of complicated turns, making sure they where not being followed, long before he answered. Megumi watched in something akin to fascination at the clenched muscles in his jaw. 

"One of my contacts told me that he had heard of a demon wrapped in bandages stalking the night. But apparently he has a time limit of some sort stuck on him."

Megumi blinked. "Time limit?"

Sano nodded his head darkly. "Unfortunately he couldn't tell me anything else. Anyway, were under orders to get to the safe house."

Megumi sighed and raised a hand to cover her eyes. "Great. I _really_ wanted to see Hiko again. The man becomes even more insufferable with age."

Sano just smirked and continued to drive.

~*~

Kaoru sipped the hot tea that Tae brought her, after Kenshin had carried her into the Akebeko, much to her embarrassment, and softly told her that he would be back in twenty minuets and to feel free to order something.

All of this happened after an easy drop from several stories, her screaming in his ear, his amused silence, her angry silence, and Tae's startled face at Kaoru's appearance. 

Being in a tank top in boxer shorts with no shoes and a single ace bandage was not her normal appearance for this time of the morning. Her watch read 5:30, Tae was getting the early morning baking done, and Kaoru found herself almost relieved no one would see her. Tae had been most helpful, but how Kenshin had known that the woman would let them in was a bit of a mystery to Kaoru.

"Is your Tea still nice and hot?" Tae questioned easily as she placed a plate of pastries in front of the girl and Kaoru nodded gratefully. Running off a few hours of sleep for the last twenty-four hours was starting to catch up and Kaoru found herself exhausted. 

"I was actually quite surprised to see Kenshin bring you in so early. I had no idea you two where aquatinted, much less that he was intent on making you his mate." Tae said, her tone thoughtful, "This rather neutralizes that problem you and I talked about the other night."

"Tae-san," Kaoru said softly, her expression confused, "You called him Kenshin. Not the Battousai."

Tae smiled and poured herself a cup a tea. "That is because Kenshin and I go way back, Kaoru-san. We met when I was a teenager, quite some time ago." She motioned to her graying temples with a smile. " Every since he rescued me from some hungry Vampires I have found myself thrown into some rather interesting situations. I haven't heard from in him in years, but it's because of him and his friends that I was able to open this restaurant and help those who have needed it. It is also because of them that I am able to give you and Misao so much information, you would be surprised what I have picked up since this place has become known as a safe house for those who wish quite."

Kaoru sighed. " Then you might want to explain what the hell you mean by saying that he wished to mate me." Her dark eyes where sparkling with what could only be irritation. " I am getting really tired of every person I meet saying that!"

Tae smiled brightly. "Why Kaoru you act like it is a bad thing."

Kaoru blinked. "Tae-san, the entire time I have known him he had been completely high handed and refuses to leave me alone. Him and his friends have been ordering Misao and I around like they know us or something and they act like we need protection!"

Tae laughed then. "Oh Kaoru, I think perhaps I should explain some things to you."

Kaoru sat back and fought back the urge to pout. Childish behavior only got you childish reactions and Kaoru had not been a child for far longer than most. 

"These are the times I wish your father had not left you so early child. You must understand that Kenshin is being much more understanding that most Vampires in his position would be. So far he has given you a choice and not rushed you into anything your not ready for, if the fact that your not mated is true."

Kaoru nodded slowly, agreeing with the fact that they where not mated, not that Kenshin was being understanding. 

"You know how Vampires feel about their mates Kaoru, there is nothing more precious. Kenshin is so much stronger than the average Vampire Kaoru. He is their leader and because of that he is above reproach by their laws. If he wished to force you into something he could do it with no fear of repercussions. His people are predators, they are meant for the hunt. He is curbing those instincts; the ones the tell him to take you and to be damned for whatever the consequences are."

Kaoru was quite as she thought about that. Kenshin did have the air of someone who was holding back, his touch was firm but careful, almost as if he was afraid of scaring her. If she allowed herself to think about it, which she wasn't, even his kisses hinted at something darker, stronger, and much deeper than he allowed himself feel. It was almost as if he was letting her scratch the surface because he was afraid the depth of it would scare her. 

And that alone terrified her, so maybe he was right. 

"Vampires love with a passion and depth that we can not even begin to touch Kaoru."

Kaoru looked up then. "But Tae-san, that is it! I am not one of his kind...which means he means to change me." Kaoru chewed hard on her bottom lip. "I don't know if I can do that."

Tae sighed. "Kaoru, at this point it's not _if_ he is going to change you, but when. He is holding back, but something is going to cause that restraint to snap. He can't hold it forever, and with the Blood Moon rising it becomes harder. If he does take you as his, change you, and bind you to him, I can tell you there is no man, Vampire or human, who could be better for you."

Kaoru lowered her eyes. "Its scares me."

Tae reached over and took her hand. "Of course it does. But Kaoru what scares you more, the fact that he feels so strongly or the fact that you find you could feel the same?"

Tae stood before Kaoru could answer. "Eat those pastries and I will bring more tea. Kenshin should be back soon."

Kaoru obediently did so; her face blank as she twisted the words that Tae had told her over and over in her mind. So lost in her thoughts that she completely missed the bell ringing to signify that the front door had opened. 

But she did feel the brush of something across the vein in her wrist. Bringing her head up in alarm Kaoru say stars when her forehead connected to someone's chin. 

"That wasn't very nice." A male voice rumbled in slight anger. Kaoru stared at the brown haired, brown eyes man and blinked attempting to clear her vision. 

"And touching me wasn't called for either." Kaoru retorted. 

"I suggest you two young men stay away from this one, "Tae's voice said firmly. "She already has someone."

__

Well, Kaoru thought dryly, _at least it can be taken in several different ways._

"Doesn't matter. He isn't here is he." The man said softly, his eyes hungrily eyeing the vein in Kaoru's write. The marking point, where the male Vampire took the blood he wanted to claim her blood as his. It wasn't until he claimed her body as his did he mark the neck. 

"There will be none of that here." Tae's voice was sharp. "Were closed."

The young man's friends moved to circle Tae and Kaoru realized with a growing sense of dread, that with her ankle injured that she would have no way of doing anything. 

As it was she was completely surprised at how fast he could move, and could do nothing but yelp when she found herself thrown across a shoulder, the wind rushing out of her lungs. Suddenly Kenshin's way of carrying her around was much more appealing. 

"We will just be taking this one with us Busu."

Kaoru felt panic begin to flare in her and was fixing to open her mouth to shriek with a voice so dark that it terrified her interrupted. 

"And just what do you think you are doing?"

Kaoru raised her eyes and met a sight that would forever be ingrained into her brain. Kenshin, watching them with eyes as bright as suns, his face a storm cloud of emotion, his fang protruding from his mouth. 

Kami. 

"Put her down or die."

Kaoru had never heard such authority in a voice before, and immediately her muscles attempted to comply with the command. 

"And who do you think you are?" The young man questioned, turning, his form strung with rebellion. 

"Someone you do not want to deal with." Kenshin said softly, his voice not needing volume to utterly reek with rage and authority. 

The young man froze. Starring at him from behind dark red bangs was death itself. 

Kaoru bit the inside of her cheek to keep from making a noise when her ankle was knocked against the side of the table. 

"Apologize."

The young man, Kaoru had never caught his name and didn't have any desire to catch it either, practically whimpered out his plea for forgiveness and Kaoru found it easy to forgive him. 

They practically bolted out of there after that. Of course Kenshin pulling his Katana free and counting to ten was probably a real good motive. 

"Are you alright Kaoru?" Kenshin asked, his voice rough as he moved towards her and Tae. 

Kaoru nodded, not quite trusting her voice. Her ankle had started throbbing again and she really just wanted to cut it off. Kenshin seemed to notice however, the man had a damn radar on her, and reached into the bag he had brought with him and tossed her the bottle of pain relievers. 

"Tae-dono, I am sorry about this." Kenshin said softly to the woman. Tae shook her head and smiled. "Its nothing Kenshin."

Kenshin shook his head but made no move to argue. Reaching into his bag once again he tossed Kaoru a button down shirt that would cover her tank top. 

"I apologize for forgetting to grab you anything before we left." Kenshin said softly. "When we get to Kyoto we will get you whatever you need."

Kaoru shrugged Kenshin's shirt on and immediately recognized the ginger sent. "Thank you."

Kenshin nodded his head and turned back to Tae. Reaching into his pants he pulled out his wallet and gave her some bills. "That should pay her meal."

Tae opened her mouth to protest but Kenshin leveled her with a look and her mouth closed with a click. Kenshin offered her a faint smile before reaching down and scooping a dropping Kaoru up. 

"I can walk!" Kaoru protested, once again, and Kenshin had the faint notion that every time he carried her he was going to get an argument. 

"Not now. I did locate you some crutches so once we get to Kyoto you can start using those to walk around, but until then I am not letting you do anything to hurt yourself."

Kaoru was going to argue but yawned instead. The last two days where once again attempting to catch up, and she registered in some part of her brain that she was resting her head against his shoulder and that she really should stay awake, but her eyes where already sliding shut. 

"Are you sure you don't need anything before I go Tae-dono?" Kenshin asked softly, careful to keep his voice low so not to disturb the exhausted girl in his arms. 

"Thank you Kenshin, but I have good workers who will be here soon to help me clean up. You just take good care of that girl."

Kenshin looked down at Kaoru and a flash of gold rolled through his violet eyes. "I will."

Tae nodded turned back around to start collecting the dishes. By the time she had turned back around they where gone. 

__

Kaoru sighed as she curled her legs under her and watched the sunset begin to drop onto the horizon. 

"Yahiko, do you think he will come back like he promised?"

Yahiko turned at looked at his teach with surprise. "What are you talking about Busu? He explained why he had to go and learn the technique from his master, in case this Shishio threat was real and he ever needed to fight him."

Kaoru sighed and laid her head on her knees. "Yes but what if he decides that it's too much of a risk and doesn't come back?"

Yahiko looked up at the rising stars. "He promised Busu. But if for some reason he decides not to come home, we will just have to go after him."

Kaoru turned at looked at Yahiko, and he was surprised at the almost childlike expression on her face. "You think so? I mean do you think we can find him?"

Yahiko blinked. "Don't you have a friend who lives there? Some girl name Misao who you met when she wandered through?"

Kaoru blinked. " I haven't thought of that..."

Yahiko snorted. "Of course not. Well I am sure she can help us, and if we have to go after him we will. Kenshin is ours."

Kaoru turned back to the stars and sat there for a long time. Eventually Yahiko got up and went to bed. "Ours." Kaoru whispered. 

"Mine."

Remember folks....please review. 


	8. Chapter Eight

These chapters are just flying out lately. I must warn you however, I am taking a joint project with a friend who I have been plot beta-ing for a while, so that may slow the chapters down somewhat. It shouldn't cause too much a problem.

Remember the Kenshin gumi is not mine. 

Once again I would also like to thank the reviewers, and the female Chris, for always responding. You're the best!

Ravyn

On a quick side note thank all of you for your patience with the typing errors. I attempt to get my chapters out to you as quickly as possible so I may not catch all of them. I do have my twin sister going back and reading it as well, but once this story is revised I will go back and correct the mistakes you all so nicely mention. Not that it really helps now...oh well.

Misao really didn't know whether to sit down and curl into a very tiny ball or if she should just keep running. Little arms tightened around her shoulders and Misao adjusted her grip around the tiny little legs and kept on running. 

Aoshi had woken them up and softly explained that they where getting off. 

This of course was a complete surprise to Misao, getting off a moving train was really not something that you trained for, and breaking bones was not something she considered fun. 

They had scrambled to the back of the train and Misao had sent out her 'feelers' to find out what exactly it was that was forcing them to get off the train. She had immediately looked at Aoshi in quite a bit of alarm. 

He had, of course, known what her look meant and softly informed her that he had it covered. How exactly you have twenty werewolves boosted with amulets and this Ki felt much older covered Misao didn't know. 

Once they reached the back of the train Aoshi has scooped Misao up, who had been holding Rei, and jumped. Misao and Rei both shrieked, Misao in protest and Rei in laughter, and soon after Aoshi had put them down the running had began. 

Misao was still trying to figure out exactly what good running was doing, when the train that was running at much faster paces was _long_ gone, but the man in front of her was years older in experience so maybe she would give him the benefit of the doubt. 

A low howl pierced the early morning light. 

Then again maybe trusting was something she should go ahead and not take at face value so early in the game. "Aoshi-sama!"

Aoshi turned then, watching Misao and Rei bounce forward. Misao looked exhausted, and if he wasn't the main source of protection he would have scooped her into his arms. 

"Not much farther Misao." Aoshi gently told her. "We should be running into them at any moment."

True to his word after Misao stumbled and looked up again she met a sight, which was awe inspiring in her currant exhaustion. Three jeeps, all with some sort of heavy artillery attached, stood out in stark contrast to the wild terrain around them. 

"Okashira!" Several voices shouted. "You found her!"

Misao blinked and looked at Rei. "Your sure popular." Her words where soft and only Aoshi heard them, and in return he gave the handful of Oniwabanshu members a 'be quite' look.

"Okashira, the jeep on the far end is for you," A woman said easily tossing him a set of keys. "We will take care of the rabid dogs."

Several nods. "With pleasure to." They all seemed to be eager to take on a pack so Misao was going to keep her mouth shut. Normally she would have had one or two sarcastic words, but right then she needed at least two pots of coffee to be able to jump-start her day.

"Omasu, be careful. Remember to destroy the Amulets on their necks before you attempt to kill them." Aoshi said as he steered Misao and Rei into the jeep that had had been given the keys for. "Were going to the safe house for a while and once things settle down we will go to the Aoiya."

Misao heard several calls and then Aoshi shut her door. Leaning back Misao just faintly paid attention to the soft voices and then the opening and closing of the car door. 

"Buckle up." Aoshi softly told Misao. "It's going to get bumpy. The actual trail disappeared a few years ago so all we have to go on back here is a lack of trees."

Misao turned. "Rei, you best get that seatbelt on tight."

Rei nodded and did so, her little face set into a firm expression. 

Misao discovered several very important factors while riding in that jeep on that particular trail. The first was to always carry earplugs because little children squeal very loud. The second was that Aoshi drove worse than Kaoru did when she was under pressure. 

It wasn't that either of them were particularly bad drivers, they just liked to cut things to a fine edge. Where she would have been moved to dodge the tree a good ten feet earlier, they waited till the last possible moment. 

The last lesson that Misao learned was that aspirin should be carried in great abundance so that when you got a sudden headache you had something to chase it away with.

~*~

Sleeping in moving vehicles is never any fun. You wake up with a stiff neck and your legs ache with the need to stretch. Luckily Kaoru was short, so she did not need to have as much legroom as some, but she had never found it comfortable to sleep curled into a ball with no where to stretch to. 

As Kaoru attempted to stretch her legs she turned sleepy eyes to Kenshin. His hands for instance, where the long tapered hands of a musician. They where also clutching the steering wheel so hard that the knuckles where white. 

Her eyes slide up his arms, the muscles in his shoulders and forearm where very tense. Her eyes continued to move upwards till they reached his jaw, which was clenched, and his eyes they where pure molten pools of heated gold. 

"Your still angry." Kaoru words where more of a statement than a question, her voice soft and sleepy. "You shouldn't be."

Kenshin said nothing for some time. "It was a direct challenge on my claim of you." His words where almost a growl, not quite, and Kaoru forced herself to sit up and attempted to clear some of the grogginess out of her brain. 

"I take it that was a problem?" Kaoru spoke softly, partly because she really couldn't find the energy to argue with him loudly, and partly because he was driving and she had no wish to cause them to wreck. 

"Yes."

Kaoru simply waited for him to elaborate and blinked in surprise when he pulled over to a gas station. Kenshin turned off the engine and took several deep breaths. " I am going to refuel the tank." His words were back to that carefully spoken manner and Kaoru nodded. Kenshin stepped out of the car and Kaoru watched him quickly fill the thank and then swiftly move to the small gas station to pay.

Kaoru undid her braid and worked her fingers through her hair and attempted to work out the snarls that had been lightly worked in. Kaoru wrinkled her nose as the heavy locks tangled around her fingers. Reaching over once her hair was piled into a haphazard bun; Kaoru attempted to find something to listen to. 

Shifting her sore ankle Kaoru sighed, as all she picked up was static. Looking around she didn't find any music lying around so she was forced to wait in silence. 

Kenshin came back and had apparently bought some munchies, and hopefully some sort of soft drink. Kaoru figured she might be able to survive the next few hours if she managed to get some type of sugar in her system.

"Here." Kenshin said dryly, "see if there is anything in there you feel like munching on. Unfortunately we really don't have time to stop and getting anything more nutritious." 

"Oh!" Kaoru said digging through. "You get anything salty?"

Kenshin shook his head and handed her a water bottle. Kaoru nodded her thanks, hiding her disappointed groan at the lack of sugar, and then crooned in delight when she found a bag of potato chips. "Thank you." Her voice was shy again and Kenshin nodded.

The only sound was the faint munching of chips for the next few miles down the road.

"So," Kaoru questioned as she licked the last bits of salt of her fingers. "Are you going to explain why you where so upset?"

Kenshin sighed as he pulled back onto the main road. "Kaoru, you must understand, this is not some type of fling. I am playing for keeps." Kenshin tossed her an amber tinged glance. " There is no such thing as a one time deal for me. With you I want everything."

Kaoru nodded her head slowly her eyes wide. The chips had given her enough energy to pull herself awake for a discussion with this man, but that was a bit more than she had expected. Some voice in the back of her head told she already knew this, but Kaoru forced it away as she switched hands and attempted to finish sucking the salt off her finger tips. 

"Please stop that." It was a groaned out plea.

Kaoru paused mid finger and stared at Kenshin's slightly pained expression and she quickly dug around for some napkins. It was a waist of good salt but his eyes had a certain look to him, and he was gritting his teeth so hard she could hear them. 

Kenshin breathed hard again and groaned. "Kaoru right now I really whish we were near some place private so I could pull over and ravish you till your delirious." Kaoru stared at him with wide eyes. "But I won't. At least not right now." He added that as if it was an after thought. 

Kaoru licked her lips and nodded slowly. "So what you're saying is...you seem to find me highly attractive." _Kaoru no BAKA, where is your brain?_

Kenshin gave a faint smile at that. "Kaoru everything you do is really attractive to me." _Especially that cute little mou you're fixing to make._

Kaoru blushed faintly. "Mou!"

There was silence for several minutes as they pretty much just listened to each other breath. 

"So, something about those Vampires back at the Akebeko really bothered you." Kaoru softly started. "I mean besides the entire attempt at kidnapping and the direct challenge."

Kenshin gave a faint growl and Kaoru once again watched as he tensed up. His Ki darkened again and Kaoru watched in fascination as sharp shots of lightening colored sparks swirled through his Ki. 

"I take that was a really bad thing." Kaoru said softly. 

"Kaoru." He closed his eyes, something that alarmed Kaoru as they where currently driving down the road, and then he opened his eyes and sighed. "Kaoru for me, as the Battousai, it was a direct challenge on me."

"You, as in personally?" Kaoru questioned confused. She had been the one who had almost been carried off like a sack of potatoes. 

"Right now I have a indirect claim on you." His tone was light but Kaoru could read the anger in his voice. "Right now I can control my instincts Kaoru, but one day I am not going to be able to."

Kaoru chewed on her lip. "And what happens when that happens?" She wasn't even going to go into this claim ordeal just yet, she would save that little argument for when she had more energy.

Kenshin shot her an amused look. "Full of questions today aren't you?" He felt his grin pull into a smile at her blush. "Normally I would more than likely mark you on your wrist."

"Mark, as in bit me?" Kaoru clarified her eyes wide. 

"Preferable." Kenshin said with a nod. "Later on I would mark your neck. That would be a dominant bite mark, and if you decided to be changed, that is the point where I would use my Ki and blood to change you."

Kaoru held up her hand. "That is more than I needed to know thank you."

Kenshin watched her hand and the pulse point just below her wrist with something like longing and groaned. There was no help for it. The darker aspect of his abilities where clamoring for him to do something, and if didn't get some type of physical contact soon he was going to simply rip the clothes of her back and take her in the back seat. Something he wanted, but not now, and definitely not somewhere as uncomfortable as that. 

Watching for an exit he pulled over and drove till they had cleared the view of those passing above him. 

Kaoru watched Kenshin quite a bit of wariness. "Kenshin?"

Kenshin simply unbuckled his seatbelt then reached over and unbuckled hers. Grasping her wrist he placed a feather light kiss on it and then pulled her into his lap and kissed her. 

Kaoru managed a faint mou of surprise before his lips locked onto hers. One of his arms slid around her waist and his other hand tangled itself into her hair, his fingers searching for her hair tie and quickly pulling it out. 

Kenshin pressed her closer before allowing his tongue to once again dip in and ravish the insides of her mouth. He could taste the salt off the chips she had eaten along with the same taste that was Kaoru. But when she started to kiss him back, her own tongue demanding the right to play, he knew he was a lost man if he did not end this quick. 

He wanted something to keep the darker, physical side of himself at bay, not something to encourage it to have her where he sat. Kaoru was the type that deserved a lot more than quick shag in the back seat of a vehicle. Besides there was no way in hell he was letting anyone have even an opportunity of seeing anything and they were still to far out in the open for his liking. 

Pulling back he rested his head against her forehead and sighed in relief when he felt the darker edge of his nature back down. Physical contact was something that a part of him craved and needed, and for now simple kisses where enough to hold part of him at bay. 

Kaoru fluttered her eyes open and pulled back to stare at Kenshin. "And that was for what?"

Kenshin gave her another faint kiss. "We better get going. We have another three hours before we reach Kyoto and then we still have to make to the safe house." He gently placed her back into her seat and pulled the handle, which caused her, and the seat to fall backwards. 

"Try to get some rest."

Kaoru stayed sprawled and then attempted to shift into a comfortable position. His suggestion had been more of a command and she figured she might as well deal with that later as well. This high handedness, however, would come to a screeching halt pretty soon. That and his continuation of avoiding certain questions. 

Giving a sigh she tossed a loose strand of hair behind her. "Can I have my hair tie back?"

Kenshin shot her a playful smile. "No."

Kaoru bit back a growl and frowned. Laying back she noticed what exactly her problem was since her left elbow really wasn't her idea of a great pillow, she was going to have to find something else to use as one. Opening tired eyes once again Kaoru looked around. 

Her eyes landed on a leather jacket in the back seat. "Kenshin, can I use your jacket as a pillow?" A sweater of some sort would have been preferable but this would work. 

Kenshin gave his assent and Kaoru half wrapped herself in it to ward of the air conditioner, and used one sleeve bunched up as a pillow. 

Kenshin looked over some time later and smiled at the picture she made half- wrapped in his jacket with her dark hair spilling around her small frame. His heart ached with the sight she made and he found himself promising that he would do whatever it took to keep her safe this time around. 

Whatever it took. 

~*~

"Mi...is she awake yet?" 

The soft voice gently tugged Kaoru back into the living world and Kaoru became aware of the soft pillow under her cheek and the lightweight of the blanket over her shoulders. 

Opening her eyes she blinked repeatedly at the soft blue paint on the walls. Tilting her dark head slightly to the side she met a pair of wide curious eyes.

"Kitten." Kaoru drawled her voice husky with sleep. 

Misao dropped over her friend, sprawling onto her hip and stomach and looked thoughtful. "You think?"

Kaoru nodded sleepily. "Green eyes, curious nature, and that most adorable pout, I think we have a new addition to the family."

Rei looked at them and then pointed at herself. " Rei a kitten? You are giving Rei a nickname?"

Misao laughed. "Sure thing Koneko."

Rei squealed. "I get a nickname!"

Kaoru sighed as she sleepily sat up. "So easily pleased. Wish I liked my nickname as much."

Misao nodded. "So did you have as much fun getting here as I did?"

Kaoru looked around. "Actually I am not quite sure where we are, how I got here, or why I am on a futon."

Misao shrugged. "I am asking the same questions. I can tell you that we are Kyoto and somewhere in the mountains and that it is nearing nightfall."

Kaoru blinked. "I feel asleep in the car." After being kissed so thoroughly that her toes where still curled. _Best not to think about that. _

Rei bunched her little brow together. "Rei remembers now! The pretty lady, I think someone called her Fox, said that dinner was ready and that Rei should come and wake both of you up!" 

Kaoru looked down at her half-buttoned shirt, the tank top, and the Mickey Mouse boxer shorts. "Sounds good." 

The only thing that kept her form blushing beat red and hiding under the covers, she had been carried into the house in her currant outfit, was that Misao was sporting similar clothing and had grass stains to boot.

"Misao why are you covered in grass stains?" Kaoru questioned as she kicked the covers off. Her breath caught in a faint hissing noise as her ankle caught in the sheet. "And did Kenshin leave some crutches for me or to I get to hop?"

Misao and Rei looked at each other. "Rei thinks Kao needs to know that there are lots of steps." Rei said worriedly. 

Misao nodded her head. "Crutches and stairs really don't mix. And there aren't any."

Kaoru nodded her head. "Hopping it is then." Chewing on her lips she tosses Misao a curious look. "To be completely curious here, where is Kenshin?"

Rei caught the questioned and blinked innocently. "BIG man took Kenshin into room. Been their long time." 

Kaoru laughed at that. "Which would explain why I don't have my crutches." She wrinkled her nose. "But remind me to only complain about being carried, not the manner I am being carried in. I discovered that a bag of potatoes are really uncomfortable. "

Misao laughed as she helped her friend off the Futon. Misao acted as a steadying force as Kaoru balanced on one foot. 

Three flights of stairs and several stops later they reached the bottom. Kaoru and Misao turned to look at the little Kitten who looked around, panting slightly from the workout of hoping down so many steps. "Rei has no idea where she is."

Misao looked at Kaoru, who looked at Misao, and both nodded. Slipping an arm around Misao's neck they proceeded to the left. They had meandered down the hall for a short period of time when Rei gave a cat like shriek and dove behind Misao. 

"And who are you?"

Kaoru looked up and kept looking. In front of her was the tallest and broadest man she had ever seen and his Ki was so strong that he practically reeked authority and strength. 

"Shishou, you know who they are." A rather exasperated voice interrupted and Kaoru lowered her eyes to see Kenshin behind him. "Kaoru what are you doing on that ankle?"

"Well we got woken up for dinner by the Kitten hiding behind me," Misao said smartly, "And how else would we get down here?"

Kenshin narrowed his eyes. "You walked down three flights of steps?"

Kaoru blinked innocently. "Not really walked, it was more like hopping. And besides no one was around to help besides Misao, how else was I to get to the food?"

Kenshin crossed his arms. "I would have come and brought you down, or someone could have brought you a tray."

Kaoru jutted out her chin. "I am not staying cooped up in my room like some child who needs to be punished."

Misao turned her wide blue eyes on Hiko, and Rei who was always watchful of her favorite person, mimicked her. "Which direction would the eating area be in?"

"Eating room in." Rei echoed. She walked over and in a move that was very Misao like reached over and tugged on Hiko's leg. "Rei is very hungry whoever you are."

"His name is Hiko." Kenshin offered guilelessly. 

Rei looked up at Hiko. "Please Hiko-san can we please go to eat?"

Hiko looked down into the pale green eyes and lowered himself down to her level, and Misao and Kaoru where left wondering how he maintained that position, and propped his onto his hand. "Hungry are you?"

Rei nodded. "Yes Hiko-san."

Hiko nodded again, his great dark curtain of hair falling over his shoulders. " Would you like me to show you how to get there?"

Rei placed on hand on her chin, much as she had seen Aoshi do when he thought, and slowly nodded. Hiko reached over and swung Rei up onto one of his shoulders and walked. 

Misao and Kaoru moved together to shift Kaoru around, Kaoru could practically fell Kenshin's amusement, and managed to get a whole five hops down the hall before strong arms had swung her up. 

"Kenshin! Mou!" Kaoru groaned as she once again found herself being carried around. Kaoru was a girl who had been taking care of herself since she was sixteen, thanks to some well thought out computer hacking, and being toted around was not on her to do list. 

Misao just bounced along like usual, but Kaoru caught her looking at her in a way that seemed to scream 'we need to talk' in rather loud waves. Kaoru nodded slightly and made a motion for later. 

They walked in the dinning room not long after and Kenshin gently settled her into a chair. 

"Kenshin please tell me you and Aoshi allowed them to pack some clothing before you dragged them through who knows what?" Megumi questioned as she sat down next to Sano who was already there.

The silence was enough of an answer for her. "Men!" Megumi hissed.

Dinner was brought in and quickly served out. For a long time the only sounds where that of eating and Rei and Hiko talking in a conspiring manner on how to hold chop sticks. The little girl was still struggling with them and Hiko had taken it open himself to assist her. 

Dinner was peppered with Baka Deshi's, colorful comments, dark retorts, and a variety of nicknames. For Misao and Kaoru it was just awe inspiring to watch them go back and forth. It was very obvious that they had been at this for years, but it really got interesting when Yahiko decided to bring Misao into it with a well placed weasel comment. 

This of course caused her to respond with a derogatory comment on the young man attempting to be like Saito, and those two were off. Kaoru was rather glad that they had decided to leave her out of it, between her ankle and pounding headache she was likely to get rather nasty.

Hiko called dinner after Rei had stifled two very large yawns behind her hands and informed everyone that he expected them all up early to do some light training. All of the sword users paled and the table was quickly emptied of occupants. 

"Kenshin, take Kaoru and Misao back up to their rooms for the evening. I will put Rei in the room next to mine." There was no surer protection than Hiko if someone did decide to be very stupid and break in. Of course they had to find the place first.

"Once you get them back up to there rooms come and see me, there are a few more things we need to discuss before you turn in for the night." Hiko warned as he scooped the sleepy child up and strode from the room.

Kaoru eyes Kenshin in a very weary manner. "Why do I get the feeling I am about to be hauled around again?"

Kenshin smirked at that and walked over, and in the fashion of transportation that Kaoru was finding to be the norm, hooked her around her knees and back and simply started walking. 

Misao yawned tiredly as she followed them down some hallways and then back up the many stairs. "Why are we on the third floor again?" Misao questioned.

"Its the most easily protected. Shishou is on the ground floor with me; Yahiko, Tsubame, Megumi and Sano are all on the second. Aoshi is up here with you two when he is here, and to be honest it's really the only place where we had full sized rooms left open." Kenshin explained easily. 

Walking in he gently placed Kaoru on the futon and then looked her over. "Do you want to shower tonight or in the morning?"

Kaoru flushed. "I really don't see how that involves you. If I need help Misao will be more than willing."

Kenshin smiled and leaned close to her ear, his voice and mannerisms the picture of playfulness. "It would be more fun if I helped you wash your back, that it would." His voice was silky smooth and it took a second for what he said to register. 

"Mou!" Kaoru exclaimed, flushing dark red. Reaching forward he kissed Kaoru lightly and pulled back with a grin. "I love that blush."

Kaoru grabbed her pillow and smacked his to smug face with it. "Out Himura."

He flashed her another playful smile, on that seemed to tug at her heartstrings, and slipped out of her room.

Kaoru had just settled down when the door creaked open and Misao slipped in the room. Flopping down on her stomach she took in Kaoru's flushed face and grinned. 

"Someone got a good night kiss." Misao teased and she had to muffle her laughter in the blankets when Kaoru flushed again.

"Misao!" Kaoru whined. "You're supposed to be on my side!"

Misao shook her head. "I am! Its just that he is far to good looking for me to believe that you are not enjoying whatever it is that he has done to you!" Misao bit back another giggle at her friend's expression. "I mean honestly Kaoru, the man has the most beautiful hands I have ever seen! And you seem to like them more than I do anyway."

Kaoru pouted. "Do you think I am not aware of that?"

Misao grinned. "No, I think it was the first thing you noticed about him, and then it was that long silky red hair, and then those eyes." Misao trailed off when she noticed Kaoru really wasn't paying attention to her any longer. "So tell me did I loose you at the hair or hands?"

Kaoru looked down and then back up, her eyes dancing with mischief. "Just trust me when I say he had really soft hair."

Misao bit down on a squeal rather hard and almost swallowed her tongue instead. 

Kaoru growled at her. "And what about you and Aoshi?"

Misao stopped laughing. "What about us?"

Kaoru snorted. "As if he isn't just your type. Tall, dark and handsome with eyes to die for and a set of shoulders on him that could make you weep. Of course he is a bit of a cold fish, but you're enough powder to light any bomb anyway."

Misao flushed. "He is not a cold fish!"

Kaoru hid a smile. " Oh really?"

Misao nodded. "Yes."

"How so?"

Misao opened her mouth and then shut it with a click. "That was very sly of you." 

Kaoru just grinned. "If I have to spill the beans then you do to."

Misao reached down and fiddled with the hem of her blanket. " He took me onto a train."

Kaoru blinked. "How did that go?"

Misao sighed. "I flipped. He held me though, Kaoru. He didn't make me feel stupid for being terrified of them, he just held me and apologized for not having a different means of transportation." She looked up at Kaoru and sighed again. "I have not felt that protected in any situation, much less a _train_, in years. But you know I never got the impression that he felt like I was a child who needed protection...but something else."

Kaoru nodded her head. "I know. Want to be let in on a little secret?"

Misao inclined her head in question. 

Kaoru took a deep breath and quickly told Misao everything that had happened between her and Kenshin. She told her the gist of almost all the conversation, there were something's that could be left out, such as random kissing, and the fact that she and Misao apparently had been reborn.

Misao sat there for some time with her lips parted in surprise. "Are you saying what I think you saying?"

Kaoru nodded her head.

Misao grinned and bounced up and down excitedly. "Do you know what this means?" Misao all but beamed up at Kaoru. "Aoshi-sama is already mine!"

Kaoru face vaulted at her friend's explanation. "Only you Misao, only you." Misao just shrugged and went on to talk of how she was going to capture her Aoshi-sama now that she knew they where meant to be together, because didn't that just take away lots of the worries?

Not to long after that, Kaoru was getting tired of listening to seduction plans, she managed to kick Misao out of the room and lay in the quite and think to herself anyway.

Kenshin was so damn confusing. One minute he was treating her very carefully, as if he let his normal behavior loose he was going to scare her, and the next he was touching and kissing as if there was simply no tomorrow.

__

His kisses.

He was very good with his lips, and really his tongue was not something she even needed to start thinking about. Misao was right about his hands though, they where gorgeous and in her hair they felt wonderful. It was probably not a good idea to start thinking about what exactly he could do with his hands or she would be up all night.

If she was going to be brutally honest with herself then she might just go ahead and admit she was not unwilling to find out exactly what he could do to her. Every time his eyes flashed that raw burning amber she felt some part of her respond, something that was buried in her bones and seemed to be calling for him. 

Kaoru wasn't some innocent child who knew nothing of the ways of men and women, boyfriends where something she had gone through rather quickly as a teenager but once her parents had died she had never done anything besides go out for a quick drink or late dinner. 

And now here she was with a Vampire practically thrown in her lap who not only was laying the groundwork for something more permanent he was doing so with every glance and every stolen kiss. Every time he looked at her it was becoming harder and harder for her to except the fact that he was not a solid figure in her life.

An every time she closed her eyes she saw another reason, something from the so called past, that told her she was meant to be here, in his arms, and involved in his life. 

And it was the scariest shit she had ever dealt with. For the first time in quite a while she really wished she her father to talk to. 

~*~

Hiko leaned against a window pain and watched the clouds move across the moon.

"Coming here, my Baka Deshi, has only bought you so much time." Hiko warned his student.

"I know shishou, but we had to get them out of Tokyo." Kenshin responded. "I know most of the activity is based here, but at least we have the Oniwabanshu to keep an eye on things."

"Isn't there a branch in Tokyo?" Hiko questioned thoughtfully.

Kenshin nodded. "Yes Shishou but most of them were wiped out in a raid not long ago, they where based out of Tae's Akebeko, but Aoshi was forced to move most of the survivors back here to retrain and let them recoup. I don't think he has found a group of people he is willing to risk completely yet."

Hiko sighed. "That puts us at a disadvantage."

Kenshin shook his head. "Not really. Before I left I contacted Soujiro and he had my number and is supposed to keep me informed with consistent updates."

Hiko nodded. "For once Baka Deshi you have done something right. It is time for you to get some sleep as well. We shall met in our usual spot tomorrow at dawn to go over some basic moves." He turned and pinned Kenshin with a look. "If you have a mate, and don't tell me that Kamiya girl isn't, she is you just haven't got off your tail end to finish it, then you are going to need to improve to your minimal skills."

Kenshin bowed hiding a smile. "Yes Shishou."

Kenshin turned and left and headed up on silent feel to the room on the third floor that held the most valuable treasure in the house. Sliding the door open he stood there for several moments watching the covers move as she slept. Slipping in he knelt by her futon and watched her simply breath. 

Pressing a soft kiss to her forehead he moved out of the room and headed or his own bed, aware that it was going to be a very lonely night without Kaoru in his arms. 

No flashback this chapter. I know! I am sorry, but I simply did not have the inspiration for it. Feel free to drop a hint of so of anything you want to see appear. I have some random Yahiko and Tsubame or Sano and Megumi moments if you all would like to see those. 

I know I have butchered the Kyoto time line and that its confusing still, but I will explain more. And my apologies for the Aoshi/ Misao fans, once again inspiration was lacking. Kenshin was holding a Katana to my throat and demanding more time between them, and while Aoshi is very threatening with his twin Kodachi, Kenshin takes the cake. 

As always please review.


	9. Chapter Nine

Okay first of all I apologize for the shorter chapter. I normally try to give you all 15 or so word typed chapters and this one only hits 13, but I have a good excuse. 

The computer ate my entire chapter.

That is right, this is a freaking re-type. So that means I had to go back and rewrite all the information in a completely new way because I HATE rewriting. Several of the scenes and quite moments in retrospect to that did not get rewritten. I had a nice pool scene worked in here, some water games, and all of that got canned. So I am not really happy with this chapter, so please be nice. 

I did however manage to work in some Kenshin Karou Lime (I promise to get Aoshi and Misao SOON that to was in the parts that got erased by my dumb computer) and some the first stage to the Vampire.... You will just have to read. 

For those of you who don't like a little blood...why are you reading a vampire fic?

Once again remember I own the Kenshin-gumi and please forgive me for any mistakes grammatical wise or if anyone seems out of character. After rewriting 13 and some pages after writing 16 the first time...I really couldn't make myself change too much. 

Ravyn

Once again thank you SO much for the reviews!

Kaoru was really beginning to hate weekends. 

The last three days had been filled with what Kaoru could only call Chaos of the worst kind. On average she was firm believer in forgiveness but there really _was _a point of no return. 

It had started out in a pretty decent manner, Megumi waking Misao and Kaoru up for a day of shopping while the men got in a little reflex training. She had handed Kaoru a pair of crutches before she tossed the women some clothing to change into. 

Now the shorts had been obviously made for a taller woman, but it was the shirts that did it, and she honestly now knew that her build was so drastically different from Megumi's that no she could _not_ wear anything that was her size or style. 

And then it was off for the shopping trip from hell. 

Crutches could be extremely painful, pressing against as they did ribs and leaving bruises, and completely frustrating because once they started hurting they never stopped.

Of course, Misao and Kaoru where the type of woman to by practical clothing and not splurge on anything remotely figure hugging, preferring loose fitting clothing in cotton, jeans that were more modest than cut to emphasize waist lines or backsides. Unfortunately Megumi was having none of that; and they were forced to buy clothing that they where not only uncomfortable with, but it fit like a glove to.

And attempting to buy a bathing suit for the pool--because Rei had requested with wide eyes for them to teach her--was even _worse_. That was hell itself! Fortunately they had reached a compromise of boy cut shorts with modest bikini tops, and even more fortunately Misao was an even better whiner than Kaoru was. 

That had been two days ago… 

After spending the day at the various malls, which she had been unwillingly dragged to, Kaoru had found it simply easier to stay stationary until Megumi needed her to start walking around. The estate, it was the only word that applied to the massive home, had a huge library, and although Kaoru was a vivid reader, her backside could only handle so much reading before it began to protest abuse. 

And _then_ Kenshin had decided to complicate things by being his normal touchy feely self. 

__

Kaoru sighed as she stretched her legs in an attempt to get feeling back into her calves. Running a hand through her bangs Kaoru marked the page she had been working on.

"How is your ankle, Kaoru?" Kenshin's voice had questioned softly as he entered the room. Kaoru herself was sprawled out on a couch with the window open and an easy afternoon breeze ruffling her dark bangs. 

"It's doing much better. Megumi said I probably only need another nights sleep before I can start walking around again." Kaoru answered easily, more than happy to tell Kenshin he would no longer have to tote her around.

Kenshin nodded his head in acknowledgement of her statement. "That is good, that it is. Would you mind if I took a look at it?"

Kaoru blinked at him for a moment, curious as to what he was up to. He had a particular glint in his eyes, one that said he was planning something, but she hesitantly nodded anyway.

Careful fingers pried away the ace bandage and Kaoru wrinkled her nose at the now familiar sight. It was no longer quite as swollen but the ankle was still covered in multiple brushings and in some places it was dark green, in others a purplish blue.

"How about I kiss this and make it better?" Kenshin crooned, looking up at her startled face with eyes tainted with amber, a particularly smug grin pulling at his lips. 

Kaoru sucked in a deep breath when soft lips caressed the dark bruising, his mouth started an upward path, teeth lightly nipping at her anklebone, his hands cradling her foot delicately. His kissing continued moving up; following the smooth lines of her calve, his kissing turning into delicate bites once he reached her knee. Placing one lingering kiss right above where thigh turned to bone, he set back on his haunches and proceeded to rewrap her tingling ankle. 

Looking up at her impishly from behind bangs as dark as blood, he offered her a laughing smile. "All better."

Kaoru slumped down and covered her burning face with the current book of her choice. Her ankle still tingled if she thought to hard about his lips gliding up her leg, the fact that he had stopped just after reaching her thigh was enough to make her want to squirm in anticipation. 

Kaoru rolled to her feet and strolled out of the Library. She needed something to get her mind off a certain red headed man with the tendency's to tease and quickly located Misao's Ki. She blinked when she realized she was on the third floor. 

Moving up the first two flights of stairs Kaoru stopped with wide eyes. 

Rei was stumbling down the hallway her tiny frame so covered in bedding and blankets that Kaoru couldn't see Misao from behind the mass colors. 

"What exactly are you two doing?"

She had thought Misao and Rei's streak for excitement had ended the day before when they where swimming. They had worn each other out and slept hard that night. 

Apparently there taste for fun had just been fueled. 

"Misao what are you doing?" Kaoru questioned softly, her expression perplexed. 

Misao shifted her face forward and grinned so wide Kaoru thought it was going to split her face. "Kaoru, have you noticed how wide the dinning table is?"

Kaoru slowly nodded her head. "Yes."

Misao gave Kaoru a hard look. "Kaoru please tell me you played forts as a child."

Kaoru blinked. "What?"

Misao raised her eyes to the ceiling. "Forts… you take a group of couches, chairs, and really long tables and make a fort out of blankets and other such equipment, layer it with pillows, and then play all types of games."

Rei bobbed her head up and down. "Rei wants to build fort!"

Kaoru shook her head and scooped up the walking bundle of blankets. "Well if we are going to do this, we are going to do this well." Kaoru looked at the clock. "We have roughly four hours before dinner, so if we hurry we can get that sucker up and running." She offered the beaming girls a smile. "I will see if we can have a cold dinner of sandwiches so we may eat in there as well."

Rei squealed and Kaoru and Misao bounded down the stairs, Misao's insane laughter catching almost immediately. 

Roughly an hour later the entire room was a war fair of pillow, sheets, comforters, and loud cackles. Hiko had strolled in and been hit with a barrage of pillows, tackled about the knees by a laughing child, and had promptly turned and strolled out. 

Being cooped up indoors for the past three days had started to take its toll on all the occupants. Kaoru and Misao where both used to working hard day in and out, spending time in the gym and being beat up by Soujiro in the Dojo the company owned. 

Lying around was simply not in their character traits, and waiting for the men to decide when it was okay to leave was starting a slow grate. This fort was a perfect way to dissolve tension and allow some fun in the process.

Right then Kaoru was reading to Rei and Misao, a plate of half eaten sandwiches between them, there eyes wide as they listened to the story of Beauty and the Beast, Misao and Rei's favorite. 

Misao however, enjoyed the rescue in the story so much she decided it would be wonderful to reenact it. Kaoru barely had time to blink before a pillow was smacked into her face. 

Kaoru raised her eyes to see Misao stick a dramatic pose and hold her pillow to the side. Her eyes where twinkling with mischief as she belted out a challenge. Kaoru eyed the half-eaten sandwiches from close to an hour earlier and she grasped the plate and held a sandwich as she would a Kunai. 

"May I suggest you filthy pirate," Kaoru drawled, "That you stand down and release the hostage before this has to get ugly."

Misao growled and stepped in front of Rei who was giggling uncontrollably. "I shall not release fair lady back into the hands of a beast such as your self. Rei and I shall sail the seven seas and take the treasure of land dwellers."

Kaoru launched a ham sandwich, which slammed into Misao face and rolled down. A tomato rolled into her shirt and Misao glared at Kaoru. 

Kaoru smirked. "A direct hit, you mad man! Accept your defeat and die!"

Misao grasped Rei and tossed her over a shoulder. "We shall flee! Those who run away live to fight another day!"

Kaoru dropped the plate and grabbed a pillow. "Come back here you dastardly fend!" 

Both women where forced to drop to crawls, Rei being switched to a horse style ride, as they crawled under the sheets. Misao was shouting threats punctured with 'me hearties' and 'yo ho's'.

Misao slid out from under the sheet and careened right into a set of ankles. Looking up she met a pair of ice blue eyes that where perplexed and amused. Misao shifted and dove behind Aoshi's legs. 

"Me first mate will have you swabbing the deck if you dare to approach you foul land dweller." Misao crowed from behind Aoshi. 

Kaoru came out next, the pillow clutched firmly in her hand, her face flushed with laughter. Standing to her feet she glowered at the smaller woman. "You dare hide behind someone else, you dog?"

Misao sniffed haughtily. "If you have it, hide behind it."

Kaoru sighed. "I am terribly sorry for this, Aoshi, but oh well." Reaching down Kaoru grasped a completely different pillow, and once she was straightened again slammed one into Aoshi's face and smack Misao with the other. 

Both blinked rapidly as Kaoru grasped Rei by the hand and dove back into folds of comforters. "Catch me if you can you demon dog!" Kaoru crowed. 

A low chuckle came from behind Aoshi and the man turned and glared at a laughing Kenshin. 

"You find this amusing?" Aoshi asked.

Kenshin smiled innocently, a trick he had learned as the Rurouni, "most definitely."

Aoshi crossed his arms and smirked. "Then I suggest you go and help you land dweller because it is now war."

Kenshin narrowed his gaze. "Is it now?"

Aoshi just smirked. "I will give you twenty five seconds as a favor to your age."

Kenshin smirked as he entered the fort and practically flew after Kaoru. "Don't do me any favor Aoshi." He warned playfully. 

Misao blinked rapidly. "So your going to be me first mate, are yea?" Misao questioned playfully, her pirate brogue still firmly in place. 

Aoshi leaned close enough to bump her nose with his. "If it pleases me lady."

Misao's eyes widen in a playful manner. "Then we best go in with cannon's blazing."

"Aye."

Misao grinned and then slipped into the opening. "Are you going to come quietly, you mangy land lubbers or are you going to make it noisy?"

A low laugh, curtsey of Kenshin, sent shivers down Misao's spine. "You can try but we will never give in alive."

Misao cackled in return. "I shall slice you to pieces you insolent pup!"

Aoshi was enjoying the view of Misao's backside in front of him and almost missed the flash of red from a connecting tunnel. 

"They head portside Captain."

Misao switched directions and just as they launched a series of pillows at the retreating figures, an earth shattering roar and two bodies tearing through the pillows caused an avalanche. 

"Earthquake." Misao cried rolling sideways, which placed her tiny form under Aoshi, protection from the falling 'rocks'. Hysterical giggles punctured such a call and Misao delighted in the strong-arms that wrapped around her. 

"YAHIKO!" Kaoru bellowed, her voice amused yet irritated, the woman having placed the voices before Misao had. "There is a plate of uneaten sandwiches that is screaming for your face!"

Sano leaned against the door jam and shook his head. Aoshi was the first to appear, his arms cradling Misao, his normal Ice man appearance ruffled. Misao for her part was being her normal dramatic self and had struck a pose and was speaking in a breathy voice. 

"Mah savior."

Shaking his head he looked at the collapsed pile of blankets and wondered where Kenshin and Kaoru where at that particular moment. Rei was crawling out from one set; her face flushed with laughter, so he could only imagine what Kenshin was up to. 

Kaoru found herself completely pinned by Kenshin's slight frame, his head buried in her neck as he shook with slight laughter. "Where did you and Misao come up with this?" 

Kaoru shook her head and replied in the stage whisper Kenshin had started the conversation with. "Do you think you really want to know?"

Kenshin smiled and dropped a kiss on the corner of her mouth. "True."

Kaoru shook her head, attempting to ignore the kiss, and offered him a smile. "I think we should get out of here before Misao thinks we died."

Kenshin sighed softly but agreed.

A moment later he had pushed the layers off them and they where standing, Misao who once again believed in playing it up, launched her self at Kaoru and knocked them both into the pile of pillows. "I though I had lost you!"

Kaoru groaned and shoved her off. "Get off you nit!"

Misao pouted. "Yahiko ruined our game!"

Yahiko blinked, "Your point?"

Misao cocked her head at him and offered him a smile that was beyond evil. "I say we play another game!"

Kaoru groaned. "Not again Misao! We have been at this all day! Some of us would like to relax!"

Misao shook her head. "It's an easy one and we even play in teams!" Her eyes danced with laughter and the all-consuming mischief. "Hide and go seek!"

Everyone blinked at her. Hiko had chosen that moment to walk in and Rei bounded over to him. "Be Rei's partner Hiko-san!"

Hiko blinked again.

"Hide and Go Seek?" Yahiko repeated.

Misao nodded. "This house is _HUGE_ and if everyone promises not to use Ki sensing it should be lots of fun!"

Aoshi cocked his and then smiled. "May I be your partner Misao?"

Misao gaped at him for a moment; Aoshi being the last person she expected to agree to the game, much less be her partner, before nodding.

"Aoshi?" Sano questioned.

"We have to get back to work tomorrow so we might as well enjoy our last night together." Aoshi said with a faint smile. 

Kenshin blinked at then smiled. "Of course," turning he bowed at Kaoru, "Kaoru will you care to by my partner?" The slight spark in his eyes showed the double meaning, but Kaoru chose to play it off as the game. 

"Of course Kenshin."

After that it was a quick division of teams and mass chaos erupted. Hiko even agreed to join Rei, and consequently Hiko was never 'it'. Kaoru had never quite had so much fun being chased down dark hallways, normally there involved a series of gunfire and cursing. In Yahiko and Sano's case there were still mass amounts of cursing but at least she never found herself dodging bullets. 

~*~

Kaoru sighed contently as she wrapped a towel around her hair and adjusted the strap on the tank top she had chosen to wear to bed. Grabbing a brush Kaoru moved out of the steam filled bathroom and sighed in relief. 

Tossing her hair over her head Karou proceeded to towel dry her hair to the best of her capability since all blow drying did was give her split ends and cause her to sweat. 

Tossing the now tangled strands over her shoulders Kaoru reached for the brush and then yelped. 

"Kenshin Himura, how long have you been in here?" Karou hissed, her chest heaving from the shock of seeing him recline on one of the cushions on the floor. 

"Not to long… actually since about halfway through your shower." Kenshin amiably responded. 

Kaoru narrowed her eyes. "Are you planning on making this a habit?"

Kenshin just smiled in his most innocent manner, which caused Kaoru to immediately be set on edge.

Deciding to ignore him for the time being Kaoru sat on the edge of her futon and began the long attempt of untangling her hair. She got through maybe a fourth of it when slender fingers plucked the brush from her hand and a warm weight settled behind her. 

Karou was quite, so far in her time knowing Kenshin arguing with always seemed to require vast amounts of thinking and energy. After a full day of dealing with Misao crazed plans and practically dealing with two four year olds, she didn't have the energy required. 

There was also nothing more relaxing then having your hair brushed, the gentle motions working wonders to ease the tense muscles in her shoulders. But when he put the brush down and started to ease his fingers along the lines of her shoulder blades and the muscles there, her head lolled forward and she sighed in relief and satisfaction. 

Gentle fingers turned her round to face him, and his warm callused fingers rose to cup her face, before he kissed her bottom lip, his touch the softest that Kaoru could remember ever having bestowed upon her. 

Kenshin was apparently content to keep his touch light, and even when he deepened it, it was soothing and gentle. Kaoru was reminded of warm chocolate in the simple way he coated her mouth and in the sluggish way her blood moved in her veins.

He slid his lips down the column of her throat, gently nipping at her collarbone before sliding back up to where he started, gently tugging at her bottom lip once more with his teeth. 

"Karou." Kenshin breathed, his lips trailing to her ear. For the life of her Karou couldn't bring forth the energy answer, or argue about his touch, much less the breathy way he was breathing her name, "Koishii."

Kaoru felt her eyes flutter shut when he pulled lightly at the ridge of her ear, lightly kissing his way back down her jaw. "Koishii let me love you. Let me mark your wrist and court you in the way of my people." He brushed his lips across her closed lashes. "Please Koishii let me show you my world."

Karou found her brain once again locked into a sluggish swirl, a warm flutter whispering its way from her stomach to her muscles, with every touch of his lips. She was finding it harder to fight the slow warm tide; much less the aching need that always appeared when Kenshin was involved. 

Reaching up he kissed her mouth softly again and then nibbled at the underside of her jaw. "Please Koishii; let me show _my_ world that for now, you're mine."

Karou found herself nodding, her bangs falling around her eyes, which he immediately shifted back with gentle fingers as kisses dropped on both temples. He slid down the side of her face, trailing back down her arms to her wrist. He placed several kisses down around her wrist, his tongue tracing the veins in her wrist. 

Kaoru sucked in a breath when his teeth sank into the vein of her wrist, and closed her eyes in rapture when he began to gently suck. A warm honeyed feeling sluggishly moved through her blood, she could feel her Ki rolling around the wound and mingling with his, his tongue tracing the edges of the puncture marks. He dragged the length of his tongue over it gently before he raised his head from the mark. 

Kaoru opened her eyes when he raised her hand and kissed the back of her hand, gently scrapping his teeth along the back of her knuckles, his amber tainted eyes glowing brightly. 

"KAORU!" Misao wailed bursting in, and stopping dead when she saw the position Kenshin and Kaoru where in. "Am I interrupting anything?"

Kenshin bit down on a growl, Kaoru's slender fingers covering his mouth, her eyes amused. "It's alright Misao. Did you need something?"

Misao fidgeted. "Its nothing, I can talk to you later." 

Kaoru shook her head. "If it's important, we can talk now." Turning slightly dazed eyes to Kenshin she gave him a look. "Can't we?"

Kenshin sighed against the smooth skin of her wrist. "This is not over Koishii." Kenshin warned dropping on last kiss on the broken skin, and stood. 

Misao watched him leave and turned with rather wide eyes to Karou. "Opps?"

Karou shook her head, a faint blush infusing her cheeks. "It's alright," she ran a finger down the markings on her right wrist and blushed harder. "I think it's rather a good thing you interrupted when you did." _I really don't think I am quite ready to meet that look in his eyes just yet. _

Misao decided to take the situation at face value and not make a comment, but froze when she saw the dark puncture marks on her wrist. "Karou?"

Kaoru flushed darkly again before ducking her head and speaking so quickly that Misao had to ask her to repeat it, twice, and when she finally did understand she was so quite that Kaoru was worried that something had happened. 

"Misao?" A pink tinged Kaoru questioned. 

"Oh, I was just wondering how to get my Aoshi to decide to court me." Misao admitted. "After today I am pretty sure he likes me, he did volunteer to be my partner in our games, so..." The pretty woman shrugged. 

Karou shook her head. "I am sure that Aoshi is just..." Karou chewed on her bottom lip and shook her head. "I don't think he is any less interested in you than Kenshin is in me Misao."

Misao sighed. "How can I be sure?"

Kaoru raised her wide blue gaze to Misao's. "When your around him, does it feel as if some part of you that was missing seems to find its way back to you, do you feel like everything has a strange sense of having been done before?" Kaoru questioned. "Does something inside of your bones seem to want to reach and grab him and for some reason that you can't figure out never let go?"

Misao stared at Kaoru with wide eyes. "You believe this stuff about past lives don't you?"

Karou shrugged helplessly. "I don't know."

Misao sighed. "Well since that one night I have yet to have some weird third person dream."

Karou smiled brightly. "There is that."

Misao picked herself off the futon and stretched. "I think I am going to hit the futon. I am tired and Aoshi and Kenshin have been muttering something about the Aoiya, so were probably moving out tomorrow."

Karou nodded as she crawled under the covers of the Futon and buried her head in her pillow. She was just to tiring to thing of anything else but sleep. She would have plenty of time to think about what happened tonight later. 

~*~

Kenshin ran his fingers through his still damp hair as laid his Futon out. Standing up he moved towards his door, remembering to grab a shirt at the last second and finding no need to button it once it was on. 

Lazily he moved towards Hiko's room to discuss the events of tomorrow and the move back to the Aoiya. It was more dangerous there, but at least they where in contact with the outside world. It was time that they started to buckle down on Enishi and his forces. 

He had it on good word from Soujiro that Karou and Misao not only had contacts in Kyoto, but they were more than capable of taking care of themselves. There ability to handle what was thrown at them was not what worried him; it was the growing power behind the blood moon. It was the beginning of the moon cycle and with each phase he knew that many would feel the strengthening of power. 

Kenshin, Sanosuke, Yahiko, and Aoshi all kept carefully away from that growing power source, knowing what it could and _would_ cause them to do. But many of the weaker Vampires would not have the strength of will to avoid its draw, but for those who had seen to much blood shed and had tasted the revolting power behind it, there was nothing more dangerous than this. 

In more peaceful times Vampires could get lost in there mates, for Aoshi and Kenshin, the time would have been spent securing the binding with their mates. But because of the threats rising from all directions they found themselves being forced to make ties in places and situations they where not all to sure about. 

Kenshin stood next to his Shishou's door for a moment, remembering the taste of her blood filling his mouth and the blood lust that once so nearly drove him insane, residing with that taste. Kaoru unknowingly having satisfied it with a mere taste… 

One of the many reasons mates' where so important to their male counterparts was because of their ability to calm the strong need to feed on blood and the desire to dominant those weaker than themselves. The fact that both sides of Kenshin, the echo of the Battousai, and the Rurouni, both having conformed into Kenshin so many years ago, felt the threat was _more _than enough to tell Kenshin how much danger he was playing with. 

Rapping gently he moved into his Shishou's room and waited for Hiko to make an appearance.

"So you have decided to start the motions that will bind the Kamiya girl to you." Hiko said as he walked into the room, his cape, for once, missing. 

"Yes Shishou." Kenshin responded with a touch of asperity. 

"Good. For once Baka Deshi you have made the right decision. I must also say that your choice to go back into Kyoto is also stupid but an understandable choice." Hiko turned then, his arms crossed, a scowl upon his features. "You may not take the child with you, however."

Kenshin bowed his head, effectively hiding his amusement. His Shishou was attached to the child even if he would not admit it himself. "Of course Shishou, you can protect her far better than I can."

"Of course, skilled you may be, but you have nothing on me, my Baka Deshi." Hiko chastised, as if Kenshin would ever think himself greater than the 13th Master.

"Go and sleep now, you must leave early." Hiko warned, turning in a move that was a clear dismissal. 

Kenshin bowed before he turned and quietly left, heading for the stairs that would take him to Karou. 

Karou awoke to the feeling of gently being lifted out of the cocoon of sheets and blankets, while her sleep fuzzed brain attempted to make out exactly what was going on, more importantly why she was suddenly cold. And come to think of it, why was there warm skin under her cheek?

"Himura Kenshin," Karou questioned in a tired manner, "is there a reason for this, or am I just simply going to have to hurt you? I was asleep!"

Kenshin ducked his head and smiled into her hair. "You sleep with me now Koishii."

"I do _WHAT_?" Kaoru questioned managing to jerk herself awake rather suddenly. 

"Sleep with me." Kenshin responded patiently. "We had a small Ki transfer, koibito, and in order to keep our Ki inter-twined in the sign of courting we have to maintain a certain amount of physical contact." 

Karou groaned in disbelief.

"It's simply easier to do this if we sleep together, since I doubt you want to hold my hand all day." Kenshin teased lightly. "I promise, Koishii, not to move past any walls you wish to keep up." _In more than one way, _Kenshin thought in amusement, which Kaoru must have sensed since her fist tapped him 'lightly' in the ribs. 

"Hentai," Kaoru hissed, her face flaming. 

"So if you can stand some light cuddling during the night," Kenshin went on as if she had not spoken, "Then this should work out just fine."

Karou really just wanted to go back to sleep, never mind where, and was willing to let this slid tonight, but tomorrow he was _getting_ it. 

Kenshin easily settled her on the futon, his gaze glowing pale amber and filled with tenderness as he watched her crawl under the covers and sink her dark head into one of his pillows, her breathing almost immediately deepening with sleep. 

Kenshin tossed his shirt over the back of a nearby cushion before sliding into the sheets next to her, shifting her head to his arm and in return finding himself wrapped in a half hug as she, in her sleep, attempted to get comfortable. 

"Oh Koishii," Kenshin breathed closing his eyes in savored bliss, having her in his arms after so long was like water to a starving man. 

Tucking her under his chin Kenshin allowed himself to find sleep, his body and mind both relaxed for the first time since the start of the ordeal that had started so long ago on this same mountain. 

_Well I hope you enjoyed that. Once again no cliff hanger (eyes twinkle) but I can't promise that for the next chapter...in other words...enjoy your freedom while it lasts. _


	10. Chapter Ten

(Grabs Aoshi and starts beating with a mallet)

Terribly sorry this chapter took so long, but as I have been promising I finally got some Aoshi and Misao quality time going. Which is why this chapter took so damn long! The Iceman was once again being a pain in the butt!

For those of you who have been waiting for Kenshin to snap...the beginnings of it have been started and one can only wonder what exactly that means (grabs Kenshin by the ear and glares) maybe I can get him to work with me. 

I am thrilled so many of you enjoyed the lightheartedness of the last chapter, can't say I know when I can work something like that in again as we are moving closer to the full moon. 

Once again I have the best reviewers and a big thank you to those that have reviewed or sent me an email.

As always I don't own the Kenshin gumi. 

To answer some questions:

Feelings like Aoshi/Misao are neglected? Hopefully that is fixed this chapter. 

Hiko having a mate.... have not really thought much about that one. In my humble opinion he is the perfect bachelor.... But who knows?

Kaoru becoming a vampire won't happen until Kenshin bites her neck. I know that some people have it as whenever you are bit regardless but in my story the change is caused by a combination of Ki and Blood. Which means she will have to have some of Kenshin's blood as well...I promise to go into detail once the time comes. 

The marks on her wrist won't fade until after he bites her neck, then the marks will transfer to her neck. They will act as a warning to anyone who tries to mark them as his after Kenshin has staked a claim and there is a certain amount of Kenshin's Ki that will be left lingering on her neck (or wrist) to make it slightly painful if anyone tries to take what is his, making it like sticking your finger in a light socket. 

Feel free to leave questions if you have to any to be answered.

Ravyn

Kaoru woke three times before she finally made herself crawl off the futon to trudge up several flights of stairs to get dressed. 

The first time was when a cool draft woke her, and in a natural response she turned away from it and snuggled into the warmth that was at her side. Nuzzling into what she considered a very warm pillow in her drowsy state she barely noticed the warmth that encircled her, seemingly drawing her closer to the pillow. 

The second time was the sound of a shower. Grabbing her pillow, which curiously smelled like ginger, and burying her head under it after she had yanked the covers over her head solved the problem of the noise, her sleepy brain never registering why the shower would be on.

The third time was to a voice gently calling her back into the waking world, a hand stroking annoyingly at her face. Peeking one annoyed blue eye open it took a minute to register the warm violet gaze, but when she did it only took a moment to up and moving, and even less time to streak up the stairs to get to her room.

__

Mental note, Kaoru thought darkly as she rummaged around her room, _Hit Kenshin over the head._

Of course once she had dug through the clothing to find a faded pair of hip hugging jeans and a button down shirt of dark blue, and managed to tame her tangled mass of hair, Misao had practically skipped into the room, all excited about going to some place and spending time with her Aoshi.

Breakfast was very quiet since it was made up of only Misao, Kaoru and Rei. Rei was more than happy to fill the silence with her chatter and was more than happy to tell them about all the things she planned to do in the next couple of days. 

Halfway through Rei's narration, _"and Rei is going to pick lots of pretty flowers_", Kenshin and Aoshi walked in. Both men patiently waited till the girls where done eating and then they told them of their plans.

"We plan on making to the Aoiya by lunch," Kenshin said softly, his warm eyes watching Kaoru's interaction with Rei, who was still struggling with chopsticks and had asked for help, with a touch of amusement. "Also one of the Oniwabanshu members was passing through Tokyo and managed to clear out most of your equipment from your apartment. They also said they grabbed some clothing."

Kaoru and Misao smiled brightly at that. "Comfort clothing here I come!" Misao boomed, rising onto her chair with a single fist pumped into the air.

Kaoru shook her head and exchanged smiles with Rei. "Actually, Misao, I was thinking more along the lines of laptop...as in back to work."

Misao deflated at that and glared at her partner. "Haven't you heard Kaoru? All work for Misao and no play equals a very bad day."

Kaoru sighed in exasperation. "Did you say you are ready to go Kenshin?"

He flashed her a look that was sheer amusement, his violet eyes flashing with the emotion, causing her breath to catch. "Yes."

Misao frowned at Karou, more than aware of what her friend was attempting to do. Unfortunately the girl seemed to have acquired backup in the form of Himura Kenshin, and since she was not sure exactly how to pester Aoshi to her team at this point in time, she was forced to act like leaving sounded good.

Karou hid a smile when Misao gave her a rather covert look, her eyes telling Kaoru it was now on. The trip back to Kyoto was going to be quite a bit of fun, or if she didn't take aspirin before she got into whatever vehicle they were going to use, painful.

Karou, some time later, was quickly blessing her foresight to take the aspirin before hand, and cursed herself for not finding a set of earplugs. Getting to the jeep had been such a noisy event, poor Rei had not wanted her 'Mi' and 'Kao' to go and in the end Hiko had to take her back inside. 

Once inside the jeep, Aoshi had somehow managed to get the keys and was driving, which put Misao in the front seat, which also put her in charge of the radio. Karou had brought a book that she wanting to work on, car sickness not being something she was plagued with, but the alternation between bubble gum pop to hard banging guitars in rapid motion or the whim of Misao's choice was making it impossible to concentrate. 

Kaoru had then attempted to watch the countryside go by, at quite a rapid pace as Aoshi drove more like her than anyone else, and feared leaning to close to the window since the path down the mountain was anything but smooth. 

Karou leaned back with a sigh and just wished they where there already. Normally riding with Misao was not a problem, whichever one was not driving was going over paperwork or they had something to discuss and they rarely took a vehicle when they wanted to travel, walking was a much better option. 

Which is why she had forgotten Misao's need for variety. 

Kaoru closed her eyes and attempted to block the currant choice of Misao's, a woman who sounded more like she was high than anything else, and felt warm fingers slid around hers and a gentle thumb caress the back of her knuckles. 

Suddenly the car ride wasn't quite so bad.

~*~

The Aoiya, Misao decided as she settled her bag into place, was an experience in and of itself. There was something about this place, the vampires who worked here and who had watched her so intently, that was familiar. Looking around the room Misao almost swore she knew it; knew every square inch as intimate as she knew her own room. 

Running her fingers on the dark wood that made up the chests, her eyes scanned the mats and the faded colors on the walls. This place seemed old and set-aside for something, or someone, and the goose bumps on her arms told her that she might just be that person. 

Misao had almost screamed in delight when she saw the clothes already in one of the trunks and had quickly dug around for her favorite jeans and sweater. A dark mint green hooded sweatshirt Kaoru had bought for her years ago was on the baggy side and hide her delicate frame but was perfect for the windy day and the chill that echoed on the wind. 

Aoshi had softly asked her if it would be alright if they went around Kyoto on foot that night to check out some of the locals to see if there was any word on what Enishi's forces where up to. Misao reached down and fingered an old set of Kunai, the ones she had started this whole ordeal with as a present from Soujiro, and slipped them into the places that normally carried the weight of her Kunai. 

Her fingers quickly tightened the long braid and she was ready to go. Sliding the door open and then shutting it quietly she moved downstairs to find Aoshi. Moving toward the kitchen she hid a half smile at the sight before her. 

The group of women who had introduced themselves in such a flurry of names, so quickly in fact that Misao couldn't place them, had Karou in front of them and where doing a great job of clucking over the poor girl. Karou's eyes where the widest she had could remember them being, not used to such attention. 

"Are you ready Misao?" Aoshi asked softly, and Misao turned and nodded. Shooting one last amused glance at Kaoru Misao turned and followed Aoshi out the door for what she could only imagine was an evening full of fun. 

If she could only remind Aoshi of what that word meant. 

But Misao found to her surprise that Aoshi was more than willing to talk that night. He showed her around the downtown areas calmly pointing out places that would give her refugee if she needed it; all she had to do was tell them her name. 

He showed her several small restaurants that she could find information if she needed it, or places to hide in if necessary. But Misao also found out several things about him that she really didn't know if he meant to give away. 

It was in the softness of his voice when he talked about the Aoiya, she didn't quite have all there names yet, the darker aspect of his voice when he talked about her needing to hide, or the gentle look that caressed the ice in his voice when he spoke of his friends. 

Finally he pulled her to nice looking restaurant and asked her softly if she was hungry. Misao admitted to it, as she had been telling her stomach to stop making growling noises for the past half hour and it would have done her no good to admit other wise. 

What surprised her was the gentle grasp of his fingers on hers when they walked in, her wide green eyes rising to his in question but he offered no explanation. 

"Aoshi-san," A female voice rang out, "table for two?"

Misao turned to see a young vampire with bright brown eyes and hair. She was holding two menus with an expectant expression.

"Yes." Aoshi said with his normal warmth. 

They where lead through a series of table's till they reached one that was nestled into a section with a waterfall and off to the side. "I shall have Sae-san bring you your drinks." The woman mummered as she backed away. 

Misao smiled her thanks while Aoshi just nodded his head and Misao buried herself in the menu trying to find something that sounded good. 

"Aoshi-san, I see you have finally brought someone with you." A cultured voice commented dryly and Misao looked up in surprise to see Tae's sister Sae standing there. She had forgotten that fact that Sae had opened up a restaurant here and the fact that Aoshi knew her was even more surprising. 

"Misao-chan, it is good to see you again." Sae warmly commented as she lowered a tray of cups and a pot of hot tea for them. "The house special today is tempura if either of you are interested."

Misao smiled at the second mother figure Kaoru and Misao had grown up with. "That sounds wonderful. And it is good to see you again, Sae-san." Misao told her with a bright smile. 

Sae smiled back. "Aoshi, why did you not tell me you knew Misao?" 

Aoshi was silent as always and Misao rolled her eyes expressively. Sae just smiled and picked up her tray. "I shall return with your food." 

Misao turned to Aoshi and laced her fingers together and propped her chin up. "We are not here just to eat our we Aoshi-sama?"

Aoshi shook his head. "No. But what makes you think so?"

Misao smiled in amusement. "Tae-san is one of Kaoru's more helpful contacts and it was never a large surprise if we stopped in a couple times a week to pick up rumors or such from the woman. Sae-san was much of the same although she dealt with different area's of information than her sister."

Aoshi let a faint smile hover over his mouth. "Very good Misao."

Misao rolled her eyes. " Why thank you for your approval, Aoshi-sama."

Aoshi smiled then, catching Misao off guard. "If you don't mind, Misao, drop the 

-sama."

Misao stared at him in surprise until the Tempura came and Sae sat herself down in a chair. 

"I don't have much information for you Aoshi, but there is a vendor who works a couple of blocks from here who has been hinting that he has some information on some of Enishi's thugs that have been moving around." Sae shrugged. "I haven't had any contact with him since he has been known to be slightly shady but you might be able to get something out of him."

Aoshi nodded his thanks as he bit into a piece of shrimp and Sae took her leave, leaving Aoshi and Misao to digest their food and the information.

Misao finished off her tea as Aoshi laid some bills to cover the food and stood. "So, Misao, how does ice cream for dessert sound?"

~*~

Karou ran a brush over one lid as she continued to glare at her image. "How in the world did I let him talk me into this?"

After being ambushed by the women in the kitchen, all of them cooing at the fact that Kenshin and her where courting, giving unnecessary advice on how to get him into bed, something she _really_ didn't want to talk about much less _think_ about. As far as she could tell Kenshin was already in her bed, and if she ever decided to do more than just sleep then he was a more than willing partner. 

There she was thinking about it again. Karou reached over and grasped the lone tube of mascara and groaned. And then Kenshin had come in and easily removed her from the attention of a group of clucking hens, and told her that he had a lead on some of Enishi's gang and would she care helping him check it out since Aoshi was gone.

He had waited till after she had agreed to tell her that they had been hanging out at a more popular vampire club to attempt to find willing recruits and she would need to dress appropriately. 

Karou leaned back from the mirror and gave herself a quick once over. Her eyes had been faintly lined with liner, and a pale coat of smoky eye shadow brought out their color. Her thick hair had been twisted away from her face and then left down to cascade down her back and to her hips in a thick curtain. 

A dark blue halter-top swathed her upper body and a leather skirt clung tightly to her hips, thighs, and backside. A pair of delicate sandals adorned her small boned feet and Karou was forced to admit that if she was attempting to hook up with some hormone driven male then she was definitely moving along the right path. Hopefully Kenshin would explain exactly why they where going to a club anyway there had to be better places to track down goons. 

Reaching over Kaoru grasped her weapon of choice for such an occasion; a delicate shaped silver belt that was turned into a shorter version of her whip on the occasions that it was needed. Grabbing a small handbag from Misao as a gag gift years ago, she dropped in her lipstick, her cell phone and some cash. 

Quickly wrapping a silver necklace around her neck with a large square in the center and matching square earrings in her ears, and one quick spray of jasmine and she was ready to go. 

Kaoru clomped down the stairs her eyes searching for Kenshin so she headed back for the danger zone known as the kitchen to find something to snack on. It was going to be a long night and she figured that food was not something she was going to get in great quantities that evening so it was best to get something in her stomach while she could. 

Luckily no one was in the kitchen so Kaoru managed to rustle up some leftovers from lunch in a less than painful manner. Since she had no idea when Kenshin wanted to leave Kaoru ate everything cold and cleaned her mess up quickly. Heading out of the kitchen she wandered back to the room she had discovered she and Kenshin where going to be sharing and froze one she had opened the door. 

Kenshin was standing in a pair of dark slacks, his blood red tresses piled into a high tail instead of the low one she was used to, his shirt unbuttoned to the waist talking to what she could assume was Aoshi.

"Thanks for the tip, Aoshi." Kenshin softly said as he leaned against the window watching the people move around outside. "Kaoru and I will head that direction and check things out. See if you can find anything else out."

Kenshin reached down to pick something off the floor and then rose up, smiling at the woman he knew was their since he had started to talk to Aoshi, and as he rose he let his eyes wander up her long legs. 

__

Mine, Kenshin thought dangerously as he took in her form, the long midnight tresses framing her pale skin and large eyes. "Are you ready to go?" Kenshin questioned lightly amazed that he managed to keep the possessiveness out of his voice. 

Karou nodded her head. "Whenever you are."

Kenshin nodded, setting the object on a trunk, as he finished buttoning his shirt, attempting to keep his smirk from appearing at the way her eyes moved over his bare chest, and then he reached down to pick up what he had almost forgotten. 

His Katana. 

"You're taking that with you?" Kaoru questioned in surprise. 

Kenshin nodded as she slide his sheath into his belt and smiled slightly at her confused expression. " This is a Vampire club we are going to Koishii, and with the trouble that has been stirred up lately I won't be the only one there with a weapon. Besides we are really going to make a statement more than anything else."

Karou frowned. "So were going to be seen I thought we were going to check out the recruiting habits."

Kenshin nodded his head. "Yes. If we wanted to be subtler we would be sending Yahiko and Tsubame down there, as they're the least recognizable out of all of us. I, with my hair and eyes, are the most. Besides this is also a way to warn Enishi that anything else he sends against you won't be tolerated." His eyes glittered dangerously at the memory of her being surrounded by zombies and a lone wolf. "We are not necessarily going to check out the recruiting but our presence should warn most of the Vampires in this area that Blood Ki is fixing to not be tolerated."

Karou sighed. "As long as this does not turn into some testosterone driven trip I guess I can live with it." 

Kenshin shook his head deciding it was best to leave that comment alone and quickly changed the subject. "Do you know how to handle a Katana?"

Karou wrinkled her nose. "I hate Katana's."

Kenshin sighed. "But can you handle one?" He pressed the point because he needed to know if she was able to defend herself at all, once she started getting the combative memories back she would be much better off, but until then he was a little uncertain of her steel wielding capabilities. 

"I can defend myself if that is what you are asking." Karou muttered darkly. "Soujiro made sure of that."

Kenshin nodded. "Good." Moving over he gentle grasped her hand and led her down the stairs. "Because if anyone does decide to be stupid, you may find yourself facing one."

Kaoru sighed. "It's better than bullets."

Kenshin gave a faint smile and shook his head. "If you say so Koishii."

~*~

Misao desperately licked at her cone as she waited for Aoshi to come back from talking to the creepy looking guy who ran one of the vendors. This was there second stop; the first had led him to call Kenshin with the information that they might find something at some club or something. 

This caused Misao to grin rather wickedly, because last time she checked Karou was not to fond of the club scene. A couple of bad drinking experiences and one bad ex boyfriend and Karou rarely did anything that involved alcohol and dancing mixed. 

Biting into the cone Misao looked around and sighed in exasperation at the two thugs they where moving in her direction. Her eyes quickly scanned for Aoshi, but he was no where to be seen so once again it was up to her to deal with the riff raff.

"Can I help you?" Misao questioned keeping her eyes on her dripping cone. 

"We are looking for information." A voice that was attempting to sound inviting and failing answered. "And we where hoping you could answer a few questions for us."

"Depends on the question." Misao retorted. 

"We want to know where the Battousai is." The second hissed in vexation. "We know you're with Shinomori and we want Himura dead."

Misao took another bit of her cone and chewed thoughtfully. "Can't say I know where Himura-sama is, not that I would tell you; mind you, but care to explain why you want him dead?"

The first one was about to answer when a phone rang and he answered with a smirk. "Never mind new orders." He nodded towards Misao and snarled. "Time to die precious."

"Is there a reason you are threatening what is mine?" Aoshi's darkly controlled voice questioned from behind them. Misao hid her smile by taking another bit from the fast melting ice cream. 

"Shinomori!" Idiot number two hissed. "You have not marked her, she is not yours!"

Aoshi sighed. "You yourself said you knew she was with me and yet you still attacked her." The deadly sound of a Kodachi being unsheathed cut through the silence. 

Misao turned and started walking as she heard the sounds of flesh meeting steel. A few moments later Aoshi was walking beside her again. "Aoshi, what did you mean by me being yours?"

Aoshi sighed softly, he had hoped she would have let that one slide. "Misao..."

Misao tilted her head up to look at him, strangely serious for once. "Is there something you want to tell me Aoshi? Such as the reason why you don't seem to want to court me? But have no problem telling others you consider me mine?"

Aoshi stopped and gently took her by the shoulders. "Misao its not that I do not wish to court you, it's just that I can't." Releasing one should to rake his hair he sighed. "It is perhaps more of...I wish to court you in the way _your_ people would first Misao."

Misao tilted her head to the side in question. "What do you mean."

Aoshi sighed. "I want to show you all the aspects of my world, Misao, all of them, before I ask you to let me court you the way my people do. I want you to be able to say you don't want any part of me before I dare give you part of my Ki in return for your blood."

Misao chewed on the inside of one cheek. "So you do want to court me, just in the way of my people."

Aoshi nodded his head. "Yes."

Misao sighed. "Then why did you not say anything?" She frowned at him. "Did you think I would turn you down?"

Aoshi opened his mouth but Misao cut him off. "Oh just shut up and kiss me Aoshi."

Aoshi, more than happy to comply, reached down and kissed her softly, one hand sliding to her waist, the other sliding to the nap of her neck. Pulling back he brought the hand that rested at her hip to her face and stroked her smooth cheek. 

"As much as I would love to kiss you all night, Misao," Aoshi softly told her, "I am afraid Kenshin and Karou might have walked into a trap."

Misao froze. "A trap?"

Aoshi had a definite frown on his face. "You remember how I fed that information to Kenshin about the club having a possible group of Enishi's men?"

Misao nodded her head. "Yes."

Aoshi turned and starred at the direction that Kenshin and Kaoru where in. "He was a plant. I found the body of the real vendor in that alley, I had thought something was off and I should have followed my instincts. Someone had decided to play us for fools, Misao." Aoshi narrowed his eyes in the look that could rival Kenshin for dangerous. "I do not like being played."

Misao took of into a sprint and wished that they had taken a car, because it would take fifteen minuets to get there and it had gotten dark some time ago. 

"Shit."

~*~

Kaoru grasped her damp hair and twisted it into a low tail and panted slightly as she and Kenshin headed back to the table they had sanctioned as there. Much to her surprise, why she wasn't sure, Kenshin had turned out to be a very good dancer. He also seemed to appreciate the fast beat of the music and the excuse to keep his hands on various parts of her body. 

Karou shook her head with a sigh. "Kenshin I will be right back." Karou told him over her shoulder and was stopped by a firm grasp on her wrist. 

Amused violet eyes. "Where?"

Karou growled at him. "I am going to powder my nose."

Kenshin shot her an amused smile. Karou jerked her wrist loose and grumbled as she moved towards the ladies room to relieve her aching bladder. Keeping her glower in place Karou managed to keep most of the male population from reaching forward and grouping her. 

Of course the dark gaze that was sending shivers up her neck, produced by a set of warning golden tinged eyes, was also managing to keep her from having unwanted attention. 

So far that evening they had only been able to feel the lingering effects of some very strong blood Ki, but Kaoru had been sporting a very bad feeling. There was something besides gold tinged eyes watching her, and it was beginning to creep her out. 

Kenshin placed on hand on his palm as he watched the doors that Karou had disappeared to. He had felt something nagging at his senses all night, a type of warning, but this place was filled with drunk Vampires who didn't know how to shield properly and some even that where drunk on Blood. Blood Ki made it extremely difficult to sense what going on, as it had the tendency to blend into the Ki around it. 

Kenshin frowned when he felt Aoshi and Misao approaching in quite a bit of a hurry. Standing up he began to weave his way towards them, his eyes narrowed in question. 

Misao burst through the doors and Kenshin did a double take at her appearance, it appeared they where not there for the club. "Misao?"

The girl brushed by Kenshin not even really pausing to say anything and tore to where Kaoru's Ki thrummed in its normal pattern. Kenshin froze as he felt the malevolent Ki shift, increasing in a rate that should have been impossible. Moving quickly he followed the Ki and attempted to track it down, a sense of warning pounding through his blood. 

Karou sighed in relief as she stepped back out onto the floor. The bathroom had been dingy at best and it reeked at the worst so the smoky air of the club was much better suited to breathing. 

"KAORU!" 

Karou turned her head in surprise to see Misao charging at her full force and knitting her brows together to holler back when a hand wrapped around her throat, picked her up, and cool hard metal was pressed against her temple. 

Karou grappled with the hand holding her several inches off the floor but it just tightened in response. Kaoru struggled to breathe around the firm grip on her throat and kicked vainly. Whoever it was apparently had planned this because he easily walked with her to the middle of the dance floor, allowing just enough room for her to drag in slightly ragged breaths. 

"BATTOUSAI!" 

Kenshin's head jerked over, his red hair cascading down his shoulder. As his eyes took in the sight in front of him his Ki slowly began to expand outwards as his eyes flashed a dangerous gold in fury. 

Aoshi took a step away from Kenshin, his eyes on the small woman not six feet from where Karou was being held. Her blue-green gaze was shooting sparks and in one fist was a handful of Kunai but as long as the gun was pointed at Karou there was no way she could throw then without him setting the gun off. 

"Battousai, I have a message for you from Enishi." The man hissed, his hand tightening once again on Karou's throat. He was so filled with Blood Ki Aoshi was afraid he was going accidentally break her neck. The man's stance was arrogant had carried the attitude of one who knew he was not going to leave but could care not. 

Kenshin narrowed his gaze and felt the darker half of his soul step forward to play. "Let her go." There was so begging, just a point blank order in a voice so low you felt it more than heard it. 

"Oh no Battousai." The man mummered, "I am not so stupid as to let her go now, but when I do release her it will be to let her dead body hit the floor."

Kenshin crossed his arms, his face dark and his Ki slowly reaching dangerous levels. The hair on the back of necks and arms of Vampires all around the room raised at the level that was being displayed, each one carefully moving away from the furious Prince. 

"Tell me, Battousai, how many times will you lose her?" He questioned a cocky smile on his face. " When will you be able to protect her? Will you always loose her the way you did last time? Or will you accidentally set off and kill her like ...Tomoe?" The man's tone was arrogant and slightly slurred from the stolen blood.

Kenshin snarled at that, his fangs slowly dropping from his mouth, biting into the soft skin of his lower lip. "I will kill you."

Misao shuddered as she took a good look at Kenshin. The man practically seethed power, the Ki rolling in dark, angry waves off his shoulders. She understood why he was the Dark Prince; no being should have the amount of killing Ki wrapped in there being as Kenshin did. 

"Enishi wants to know how you will protect her...because she will die." With that the man's hand tightened on the trigger and Kenshin let out a slight howl when it pulled. 

__

Click.

Karou squeezed her eyes shut even as her world slowly turned fuzzy. Apparently the man had decided to play. Forcing her tearing eyes to open she caught Misao's furious expression.

Kenshin growled low. "_Let her go_."

"I wonder where the bullet is Battousai. Just how long does your precious Kaoru have to live? It doesn't matter if you kill me or not; Enishi whishes you to loose what is most precious to you once again."

Kenshin lazily lowered his lashes. "The first thing I am going to do you is remove that trigger finger." The man's first mistake was to place only one bullet in his gun and to take his time in killing Kaoru. 

__

Click.

"The second thing I am going to remove is the hand that is touching her." His voice was a low hiss of rage and Misao nodded slowly at the look Aoshi was giving her. The second mistake was to taunt him. 

__

Click.

"And then I am going to carve a message for Enishi in your back and let you live long enough to take it to him." Kenshin breathed out, his thumb clicking his sword out, ready to be drawn. His third mistake was to give him any time. 

Kaoru gave a weak mewling noise as she attempted to draw in air, her eyes locking with Misao's, and seeing the message that slide through them, closed her eyes. 

The man screamed with pain as a Kunai buried itself in the joint where shoulder met arm and Kaoru dropped to the floor like a dead weight. Kaoru rolled weakly away from the man as she heard him scream.

The lackey never stood a chance. Two quick moves and there was one finger and one hand on the floor, and sheath to the back of the knees and one kick to roll him over, and there was a lovely cross shaped scar engraved into the man's back. 

Kenshin leaned down and growled in the moaning vampire's ear. "_Never_. Touch. What. Is. _Mine_. Tell Enishi that, and tell him that I am coming for both his and Shishio's bodies."

Kenshin brought the handle of his sword down on the mans head, quickly knocking the man out. Kenshin rose and gave the rest of the Vampire population a dark warning glance. 

Walking over he gently picked the gasping Karou off the floor. "Koishii," Kenshin whispered into her hair, his voice holding all of the dark possessiveness of his Ki.

Karou coughed against his shoulder for a few seconds before bobbing her head up and down, to indicate she was fine. One of her hands had fisted into the fabric of his shirt and Kenshin shifted her in his arms as he turned and headed towards the door. 

"Do you two want a lift?" Kenshin asked softly, his eyes glowing in the dim lights of the club, his expression hard and angry. Aoshi simply nodded and Misao walked over and jerked her Kunai out of the vampire's arm and cleaned it on his body. 

Jumping up she walked towards the door and froze at what she saw. Yumi, the red haired woman who Misao figured was more of a poltergeist than anything, was standing in front of Kenshin her red hair dancing around her shoulder with a evil glint in her eyes. 

Right behind her was what bothered Misao, for there had to be close to twenty Vampires pumped with both the rising Blood Moon and enough Blood Ki to launch an attack on the refuge they had just left. 

And directly behind them sat ten older werewolves with Blood Amulets held onto their necks by gold chains, their fangs dripping with the poison of their kind. With Kaoru still recovering from being tossed like a rag doll and cradled in Kenshin's arms, this fight was suddenly looking very bad. 

"Prepare to die, Battousai." Yumi hissed her eyes glinting with a demon light. "Attack."

__

Aoshi stood next to the small grave that had been laid not two days ago, the flowers he had brought still clutched in his hands, the knuckles white as he crushed the stems in his hands. 

"Misao." Aoshi breathed as he allowed his fingers to trace the symbols of her name. "Misao."

Two days, she had been gone for two days and already he felt like someone had taken his soul and carved it into tiny pieces. His normally cold eyes and turned into a landscape of ice to match his heart. 

If the world thought madness had touched his heart at the death of his friends Shikijou, Hyottoko, Beshimi, and Hannya then they knew nothing of what he could become with out Misao.

Lowering his head he laid the flowers on the still soft earth, his feet slightly sinking into the earth. He would hold his darkness back, but he would find the Battousai, knowing that Kaoru's death would unleash the same hate filled rage in the Hitokiri that it had unleashed in him. Their kind did not hold to lost mates well claimed or not. He would add in the destruction of Shishio's would and bring Enishi to his knees. 

Turning he stopped at the sight that met his eyes. It was what was left of the Oniwabanshu group; all of them standing in Ninja uniform with expression of determination. 

Okina stepped forward and bowed slightly. "Its time for you to take the reigns back as the Okashira. To do that we have all decided that those who would follow you should be changed."

Aoshi blinked at them for a long time. 

"Okashira," Omasu said simple. " The Oniwabanshu takes care of their own, and Misao was ours. In order to avenge her we must be changed, and we are willing to do that. We are willing to bring the fight of the Oniwabanshu to a different realm."

Aoshi sighed. "So be it."

I told you cliffhanger...terribly sorry. (snickers)


	11. Chapter Eleven

How come every time I get a scene just were I want it something happens?

The Electric Company seems to be having problems getting their grids right so for two nights in a row, without letting anyone know, they cut the power off. This chapter would have been out sooner otherwise. I hope you all enjoy. 

To answer some questions:

Innocently smiling Rurouni refers to the fact that as a Rurouni Kenshin has the knack for looking extremely innocent. In my fic Kenshin did wander for ten years with his non-killing vow, it's after Kaoru's death that he picks his Katana back up to kill Blood Drinkers and Shishio.

How many more chapters am I going to write? I am not really sure. I have a basic time line mapped out in my head but how long it takes me to reach certain points completely depends on my muse's. I just sit down and write and wait to see what the characters want to do. I would figure somewhere around twenty, not necessarily that many but more than likely not many after that numbers either. 

For those of you wondering how Aoshi was changed, or more importantly WHEN, it's in this chapter. 

Hiko and Rei are rather safe in their mountain hide out. I have been dropping hints about how and why but I will be sure to give more information soon. And as to why they can't feel the blood Ki, well it works in with the Blood Moon, I promise to go into more detail with that later as well. 

Kenshin is very angry with himself for letting Kaoru get hurt. 

I think that handles most of the questions in the reviews. I wish I could respond to every readers review, because I appreciate everyone of them, but I am finding more and more reviews are more difficult. If anyone has a question feel free to leave it and I will either respond in an email or here? 

And once again I thank each and every one of you for reading this! Thanks so much for leaving reviews; it's partly the reason this chapter got out so quickly. 

Remember I do not own the Kenshin gumi. (Pouts)

Ravyn

Sometimes control just wasn't worth it. Twice in one night what was _his_ had been threatened, twice someone had decided to play with his emotions. And twice the darker side he kept hidden so he could gradually introduce it to Kaoru had been pulled to the surface.

This time however it wasn't going back to where it came back from. Eyes that always border-lined gold melted into the moonlit amber that he was so well known for as his jaw clenched in a fury so dark that everyone could feel it.

Kenshin gently placed Kaoru on her feet and carefully pushed her behind him. 

The Vampires moved close, there eyes glowing red with a blood lust that was tangible. "We want the pretty." One hissed in a lust-darkened tone.

Kenshin smirked. "You wish."

No one saw him move. Yumi's let out of gasp of surprise when the ten Vampires that had surrounded the group went down into a series of mutilated body parts. Kenshin banked off the edge of the wall and joined Aoshi in the decimation of the rest, a handful turned to attack the women but fell to Kunai in there throats. 

"NO." Yumi hissed. "You will not win so easily Battousai."

Kenshin turned in time to watch her throw something at Kaoru and Misao, Karou lightly holding her silver chain and Misao with a handful of Kunai, and watched with furry filled eyes as the woman stumbled. 

"Lets see how much your darling Mate's love you when they know all of your bloody pasts and your failure to protect them." Yumi hissed. 

Footsteps echoed around the alley as darker shapes began to fall from the rooftops, the wolves crouching low their fangs dripping. No matter how fast Kenshin and Aoshi where they where going to struggle to defeat this many and keep there woman safe. 

"Looks like we got here just in time, Yahiko." Sano's dark voice hissed as they dropped into the circle of defense. Next to Yahiko, much to everyone's surprise stood Soujiro.

"Sou-chan!" Misao managed to grit out from her pounding head. It felt like someone had battered her head with a hammer and walls that should have been standing where slowly being ripped apart.

Kaoru stumbled next to her, her fists pressed against her temples. 

Yumi laughed the sound mocking. "Tell me Battousai will you be able to win her three times?"

Soujiro moved forward. "Yumi will stop this."

Yumi froze as she stared at the young man. " Soujiro Seta." She whispered her eyes wide. "Aren't you on the wrong side?"

Soujiro shook his head. "Soujiro Seta I may be, but I fight for the correct side this time Yumi. Don't make me kill you."

Yumi stared with wide eyes. "You wouldn't."

Soujiro narrowed his dark brown gaze. "Don't press me in this."

"Watch yourself Soujiro." Kenshin warned, his voice a dark whisper against the harsh growls and clings of swords. "She will use the wolves against you."

Yumi narrowed her eyes. "If you betray Shishio-sama then it means your death." With that she disappeared back into thin air as she had done before, leaving them to deal with the leftover. 

Karou stumbled into something warm as faint images began to play across her vision. "Karou."

__

Kaoru-dono.

Kaoru raised confused eyes to living amber and blinked softly. "Kenshin." The last thing she remembered before her world faded black was a strong arm, once again, lifting her into the air. 

Misao groaned low in her throat as she clutched at her head. She had dropped to her knees and was vainly attempting to ward off the images that seemed intent on surfacing. 

__

I never want to see you again.

"Aoshi-sama." Misao managed to breathe, her eyes wide as her body gave into the dark that was anything but peaceful. 

Kenshin watched her face, bruised from tonight's fight, his fingers tracing the darker marks along her pale neck and headed towards the car. "Sano, have Megumi meet us at the Aoiya. Soujiro you might as well come with us we have much to discuss."

__

Shishio, Kenshin thought furiously,_ you have crossed the line tonight when you decided to make this personal. _

The car ride back to Aoiya was tense and silent, the only sounds coming from the ragged breathing of Misao and Kaoru and the occasional squeal of tires as Kenshin sharply took a corner. 

Once they got to the Aoiya both Kenshin parked the car and then walked over the seat where Kaoru was still unmoving. Gently he lifted her limp form and headed towards their room. 

Kicking the futon open with a sharp nudge of his foot Kenshin set her form down gently and brushed a stray hair from her face with gentle fingers. 

"I am sorry Koishii." Kenshin whispered knowing that Yumi would have done her best to confuse to woman, most likely calling the darker memories to fore first. Kaoru gave out a faint moan and Kenshin kissed the back of one hand. 

Kaoru's mental walls where shot to hell and the barriers that had guarded the memories of her past life where in shambles. He was not a mind healer but he could strengthen her mental shields to keep unwanted mental thoughts out. 

Rising he moved towards the door, his Ki pulsing around him in furious bursts, leaving Kaoru to sleep off the effects of what had happened. There was nothing he could to ease what she would see, but he could, and would, find a way to kill Shishio. 

The man had gone too far.

"Soujiro," Yahiko questioned as they waited for Kenshin and Aoshi, "How did you know to show up tonight? We only knew because of Aoshi's phone call. Did Misao call you?"

Soujiro gave the faint smile he was so well known for and shook his head. "No. I believe Himura-san has mentioned, or at least hinted at the fact that we have met before?"

Yahiko nodded as Sano leaned against the wall with his fishbone sticking out of his mouth. "Yes." Both men agreed thinking back to the day when he said Soujiro had his reasons for trusting him. 

"I am not that much older than Kaoru-san and Misao-chan," Soujiro said softly, "I had already started my underground protection agency when I met then in high school. It was not long after I lost my partner to a werewolf and suddenly there where two women with Ki high enough to tear apart a city block who where not only willing to help, but once they found out they practically demanded to."

"Sounds like Busu." Yahiko agreed.

"Not long after that on a mission where I refused to take them along I got caught out my some Vampires. I should have been able to beat them, but there was something off about their nature. Before I could be eaten a red haired man came out of the darkness and killed them."

Soujiro smiled once again. "He told me to get stronger because I had the potential and to always remember the strong protected to weak." He looked at him with a faint tinge of amusement. "I do not know if it was deliberate or not but that caused my memories to break the same way the girls upstairs' are."

Sano nodded. "But why did you not say anything when we meat you back in Tokyo?"

Soujiro shrugged. "The last memory I have of Yahiko is of him driving a Katana through my shoulder, and yours is just as found. I did not think my presence would be welcomed. The day before Himura-san left for Kyoto he came and spoke with me on some matters. I remember Shishio quite well and I plan on helping you stop him this time."

Yahiko offered Soujiro a smile. "If Kenshin trusts you enough to let you in here then it's the least we can do to trust you." Yahiko leveled the man with a dark glare. "But if you hurt Tsubame I will kill you."

"Since I assume you three have your formalities taken care of," Kenshin's dark voice commented, "Then I suggest we get down to business. I have every intention of being in that room when Karou wakes up."

There was a soft grunt from Aoshi that concluded that the man felt the same way about it. All the men watched as Kenshin sat down and leveled Soujiro with an amber glare. "Did you time Yumi?"

Soujiro nodded, "Fifteen minutes just as you said."

Sano blinked. "You were timing her?"

Kenshin nodded. "Before I left Kyoto I tracked Soujiro down and we had a long discussion on Shishio. Sano, Yahiko do you two remember what happened when we fought against Shishio in the Meiji."

Sano nodded. "Yes, he spontaneously burst into flames."

"Exactly." Soujiro wryly commented. "Because of the flames he was burned in he lost the use of most of his sweat glands, you combined that with the flame like Ki, and Shishio was set up for disaster."

Kenshin sighed. "Soujiro and I have been coordinating our spies since Yumi made her little appearance in Karou's apartment. So far Yumi has been seen through out Kyoto but the mysterious figure wrapped in bandages has only been seen in Tokyo."

Soujiro sighed. "Which is why Kenshin and I decided to see if we could pull some of his men out tonight. We did not think that they would target Kaoru, which was actually rather stupid on our part."

Kenshin growled, his moonlit eyes glowing with anger. "Shishio has now twice attempted to kill her. He should know better."

Yahiko sighed. "Yes he should." His dark eyes held a glint only slightly less threatening than Kenshin's. "But we all know he is attempting to find a weakness or to form one in her."

Sano frowned. "Well then Jou-chan and weasel getting their memories back is actually helpfully."

Aoshi choose that moment to speak up. "Not necessarily. Kenshin and I had both planned on easing Kaoru and Misao into there past memories, Yumi just went in there with a mental sledge hammer and knocked everything in her path down."

Kenshin gave a half snarl. "The problem is that Yumi could have done both woman a lot of mental damage, so I want all the mental activity in this place down to a low key. Every little touch is going to cause them quite a bit of agony. They do not know that we are telepathic, much less how it to block it."

Yahiko let out a whistle. "Damn."

Sano sighed. "You said it kid. Kenshin why is it so important that Yumi was only there for fifteen minutes." 

Kenshin sighed. "Enishi is not strong enough to bring Shishio into this world completely, that is why he needs Rei's death, but he is strong enough to cause his rebirth some time. The question is what he linked Shishio ability to come back and forth to."

Soujiro picked it up from there. "Kenshin and I believe that Enishi linked Shishio's abilities to stay in this time by the same time limit he had to fight. Yumi is also bound by that so its very important that Rei stays out of their hands."

Yahiko shook her head. "Rei is with Hiko in the one spot that Enishi could never go. The hide out is so hidden by the pure Ki that even if Enishi could find it, there is not way he could defeat Hiko while Hiko is there."

Kenshin sighed. "Which is why he will do whatever he can to get Rei off of there."

All the men sat in silence at that thought until Aoshi and Kenshin headed back up stairs.

Sano stood up to try to locate Megumi and turned and looked at Soujiro. "You may be the Tenken, but the real question is weather or not you can stand against those who will be pulling off the power of Blood Moon. You might need to consider being changed."

Soujiro inclined his head but offered nothing more.

~*~

Karou tossed on the futon, her expression pinched and tired, part of her mind registering the fact that she was in fact breathing and that were voices, another part of her brain only aware of the voices and images pounding through her brain leaving the sensation of her mind being torn apart. 

Kaoru was vaguely aware of the soft fingers pressing against her temples but she was more aware of the gentling of the destruction. The harsh edges where blunted and the voices became softer, gentler, and understandable. 

It could have been minutes or hours later when Karou became aware of her own self again. The cool hand she had felt at some point was gone and instead there were warm fingers laced with hers. 

Karou forced her blurry eyes open and let out a stifled moan. 

"Koishii," Kenshin whispered his voice low and soothing. "Don't try to do anything just yet. Your mind needs time to recover."

Kaoru closed her eyes and sighed. "What..."

"Yumi," Kenshin mummered kissing the palm of her hand again. 

Kaoru sighed softly, attempting to process two life times of memories and bring them to together. Everything was so confusing, a jumble of past and present that was impossible to tell which lifetime she lived in and which lifetime she considered past. 

Everything raced against each other, one memory attempting to force another out, and one father's face overriding the next. A sword style she had never practiced made part of her muscle memory, colorful pictures blurring and melting with another. 

There was no center point, nothing to hold one way of life from another, no way to twist them back into the rightful place. Edges of what should have been melted to create fine lines with the future and twisted away from her control.

There was one focal point, one similarity that gave her the point she needed to pick the memories apart. Kenshin. In the frantic tumble of images his face was constant and allowed her to place the images back into the proper place, to use his eyes and touch to force them back into the correct place. Past or present.

Kaoru moaned as she grappled with what her brain was trying to tell her. To put the crazy jigsaw puzzle back into place. To find what her heart and that curious heat she felt had been forcing her to recognize. And once the whirlwind paused and settled she could easily see what had been pulling at the back of her mind for weeks now. To find that secret behind the dreams and that lonely ache that his touch seemed to fill. 

For two lifetimes it seemed she had battled with herself and dealt with the fact that she fell for a man who held life cradled in the palm of his hand. In this lifetime she was falling for him and in the past she had loved him, and no matter how many times she told herself otherwise there was no denying it now.

She may not have been the Kaoru of back then; she was different in many ways simply because of the different times. The Kenshin she knew now was different as well, but Kaoru had a faint feeling she was never going to loose the heat that soak in her bones this man seemed to ignite. 

"I am sorry." Kenshin mummered keeping his lips pressed to her hand. "I should never have taken the risk I did."

"No." Kaoru pressed, forcing blurry eyes to open and to focus. It took a moment to put his blood colored locks and amber framed eyes into focus but she managed. "Don't blame yourself, itoshii."

Kenshin froze at the endearment that slipped from her mouth, his amber gaze snapping to hers just a hint of the placid violet peaking through for the first time that evening.

"Koibito." Kenshin breathed kissing her fingers as her eyes slid shut in exhaustion. "How much do you remember?"

Kaoru sighed. "Most of it now, but it's all in fragments and it's hard to put them in order." _Your touch helps._

Kenshin let out of faint rumble that could have been a growl. "I am sorry. I was planning on waiting till we mated to bring them back, slowly, that way I could ease the memory walls down so they wouldn't try to rip your mind apart like that."

Kaoru struggled to stay coherent as her body registered the exhaustion seeping into her bones. "They became easier to separate after something..."

"Omasu has a healers touch for such things. She came in and attempted to sort through the your shattered barriers and put them back into order. She did as much as she could without straining your already drained mind." Kenshin told her softly, careful to keep his voice in his natural low register so it would soothe instead of bring pain to her pounding head. 

Kaoru mummered something as she felt her lashes flutter shut and her world slowly slipping from her grasp.

"Get some rest Kaoru," Kenshin breathed against her ear. " I will be here when you wake." Kenshin sat there for some time watching her chest move up and down with each careful breath she took.

Reaching down he pulled out his cell phone to place as call to Hiko. He would need to be warned that Enishi was up to something and to keep an extra eye on his surroundings. 

~*~

Misao lay on her side, her wide blue-green gaze open and filled with emotion. Turning on her stomach Misao buried her face into her pillow, attempting to place exactly what she was seeing in her mind. 

Japan, in ways she could never have imagined. Nature at its most beautiful and stars a clear as diamonds pinpointing in the sky. And then there was Aoshi. 

He had left her. 

Misao felt her eyes begin to leak the gentle salt water at the thought of the man she knew and the man she once knew. He was different now, Misao could place that easily, and the cold had been chipped away carefully over time. Instead of lines of despair and guilt, there was mourning to his eyes that seemed to clear when he looked at her. 

Her Aoshi-sama was beginning to love her. 

Oh it hurt, her mind and her heart, and Misao was not sure which hurt worse. The mind screaming agony that Yumi had inflicted on her, ripping all the carefully built barriers from her mind and then taking a blender and blending them all together, or the dull ache that had started somewhere in her chest with the loss of the innocence she had retained. 

Aoshi-sama had been a monster. Not because of his teeth and cold nature, not because of his being changed into something beyond human, that was Aoshi-sama. No his guilt ridden manner had caused him to abandon her and her family. She knew those downstairs now, knew their faces their habits and what made them smile. 

She knew Aoshi. 

"Misao." His voice, smooth honey to her shattered nerves, slipped into her ears and caressed her aching temples. "Misao please don't cry."

Misao turned over then, wincing at the movements and the pain it caused, but forcing herself to face him. She had never hidden or backed down from a challenge in either lifetime, she had the memories to prove it, and she was going to conquer this. 

"Why." It was simply really. Why did you leave me, why did you not save me, why did you come after me? Why the guilt, why the pain, why the separation?

"Do you remember when you where barely thirteen and I left with what was left of the Oniwabanshu?" Aoshi whispered brushing the remaining tears from her face.

Misao scrunched her nose as she thought, attempting to work past the dull ache in her temples. "No."

Aoshi sighed. "During the Bakumatsu I was changed into what I am now. I precede Kenshin by several years as a Vampires Misao. When I came home I found my protective instincts going into overdrive, and it was nearing a Blood Moon at that time. I was afraid I would hurt those I held most precious to me. So I left. The other demanded to go with me but I would not, could not, put you into danger."

"Why." Misao begged. "Did you not trust me?"

"Oh Misao, you where still so much a child. I did not want to force you to grow up any faster than you did. I never thought you would chase after me or that you would force yourself to grow up."

"Didn't you understand?" Misao questioned, her fists bunching up the front of his shirt, "I would follow you anywhere." Her brow wrinkled in thought. "And I think I told you that at one point."

Aoshi allowed a hint of smile to touch his mouth. "Several times. But when I came back after Shikijou, Hyottoko, Beshimi, and Hannya died I was so stained with blood and guilt I could not allow myself to enter back into your life."

Misao looked at him questioningly. 

"The part of myself that I refused to accept, the Vampire part, had already claimed you as its possession." Aoshi explained gently. "You where only sixteen and even though you had traveled across Japan I could never forgive myself if I changed you. I told myself that no matter how much I craved you and found myself loving you, I couldn't."

"And then word came of Shishio. He was working with a madman named Enishi and both hoped to topple the already unstable government. With your connections to the Kamiya Dojo, a place you had stayed for some time in your search for me, long before the Battousai had come, you got word of the Battousai's plans to learn the rest of the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu."

Misao nodded her mind supplying the memories to the story he was telling. "You wished to help Battousai and his family out, but the rest of us did not wish to get involved. And then word came of the death of Kamiya Kaoru, and two nights later we found you dead in your bed."

"I later found out that Soujiro had killed you," Aoshi told her and attempted not to smile at her shocked face, "And then I traveled to Tokyo and met up with the Battousai and what was left of the Kamiya family. I helped train Yahiko and Sano and ten years later, Shishio had hidden deep in the mountains and it took time to find him, we destroyed him."

"Once that was over I came to realize, much as Kenshin had, that you would be reborn. When that happened I promised myself I would open myself up to you, if only you, and not let you leave me again."

Misao stared at him as he cradled her face in his hands. "I want you as my mate Misao. I am willing to give you the time you need to adjust to these memories and the time you need, but you will be mine in the end." He leaned over and kissed her forehead. "Get some rest. Tomorrow you are going to find yourself bombarded with people wanting to see you."

Misao leaned forward and rested her head against his chest. "Stay with me."

Aoshi gentle wrapped her in his arms. "Always."

Gently he lowered them to the futon and simple contented himself with watching her drift off to sleep.

~*~

Kaoru wiggled into the warm covers with a content sigh. The throbbing pain had left some hours ago and she had been left with a boneless feeling and simply allowed herself to sleep.

Kaoru opened her eyes to the sound of the door being slide open, sitting up she noticed she was in a large shirt and a pair of shorts threatening to fall off, and she had to keep from smiling at the site that met her eyes. 

Kenshin was balancing a try with only a pair of boxers and a carelessly thrown on shirt as he attempted to shut the door and not burn himself. Turning he smiled at seeing her awake. 

"Good morning Kaoru." Kenshin said lightly as he set the food down next to the futon. He felt her forehead for the fever that had wracked her last night and was pleased to see that she was once again normal temperature. "Are you hungry?"

"Ravenous." Kaoru admitted as she tossed a dark strand of hair over her shoulder. "Is the tray for me?"

Kenshin grinned at her child like look. " Of course Koishii." He sat the tray in her lap. Kaoru easily broke open the chopsticks and ginned at him. " I haven't had breakfast in bed since I was a child." 

Kenshin brushed her bangs away from her face playfully. "Then I will have to make a point to spoil you more often."

Kaoru rolled her eyes. "Then I won't want to get out of bed silly."

Kenshin smiled his amber eyes playful and tinted with quite a bit of amusement. "And the problem with that is what?" Kenshin leaned back and allowed his eyes to scan her draped form once again in his clothing. "I wouldn't mind you in my bed at all Koishii."

Kaoru tossed a small amount of rice at him. "Kenshin Himura!"

Kenshin just smiled at her. "What?"

Kaoru rolled her eyes. "As much as I enjoy longing around in bed all day I really don't think so. Besides," Her eyes took on a particularly evil glint, "I think I need to refresh some of these sword techniques banging around in my skull and I think Yahiko would the be the prefect dummy."

Kenshin laughed at that. "Your one devious woman." Using to his god like speed he moved her tray and had her pinned to the futon. "And I find that a highly attractive quality."

Leaning down her kissed her lightly, his bangs brushing her face. Pulling up he smirked. "Well while you are so casually planning you say, do be sure to fill in some quality time with me." He kissed the corner of her mouth. "There are some things we need to discuss once you are up to it."

Kaoru nodded her head in agreement. Feeling slightly daring she pushed up and kissed him solidly. "We will. Now get out so I can finish my breakfast and get dressed. It you want to be helpful you can locate Yahiko and tell him to met me in the Dojo."

Kenshin blinked at her for a moment before sliding off her warm body and sighing. "The things you do to me Koishii."

Kaoru just smiled and picked the tray back up and dug into it with gusto. 

Kenshin walked out of his room, despite the very tempting woman currently eating in his bed, and headed into the kitchen to get his own breakfast. 

"How is she?" Omasu questioned as she set out bowls and chopsticks. 

"She looks great. Whatever you did last night seemed to do the trick and she has full color and actually plans on utilizing several of her memories today."

Yahiko, Sano, Tsubame and Megumi had walked in on the later part of his sentence. "Utilize what part?" Sano questioned. 

Kenshin forced himself to keep his expression neutral as he looked at Yahiko, who looked slightly apprehensive as if he knew what Kenshin was going to say. "She wanted to test out some of her combative memories and has asked that Yahiko meet her in the Dojo once breakfast is over."

Yahiko dropped his head onto the table with a groan. "Kenshin I don't care how many times Aoshi, Hiko, or you have beat me around Kaoru is still the single most scary woman I have ever met and the freakiest teacher."

Laughter rang out over that statement and Sano clapped his friend on the shoulder. "And just think her memories of Kamiya Kasshin Ryu are probably better than yours."

Yahiko groaned again. He had learned various techniques over the years, bits and pieces of many, and he used a Katana now because of the needed strength, but Kaoru with a Bokken or Shinai was just damn frightening. Especially since he would only be able to Kamiya Kasshin forms. 

Yahiko looked up. "Megumi you promise to patch me back up?"

Laughter followed Yahiko's attempt at humor, and the hilarity just increased when he sat down and slowly began to bang his head to some forgoing beat. 

"I.Am.Dead." Yahiko continued as he rapped his head against the table, those words being a type of mantra. 

"Did you say something Yahiko?" Kaoru questioned as she stuck her head in, waiting for the young man, her voice innocent but her eyes glinting with enough evil that everyone erupted back into laughter.

"Nope. Not a thing." Yahiko quickly responded, straightening at the look in Kaoru's eyes. He may have been accustomed to Hiko and Kenshin beating him around on a regular basis, but this was Kamiya Kasshin Ryu, and Karou was the master at making those who where under feel stupid. Plus when it came to a Bokken or Shinai no one stood up to the woman. 

"Good. Why don't you hurry up Yahiko-_chan_." Kaoru teased as she turned to head to the Dojo. 

Yahiko, in the spirit of things, responded right back. "Don't call me CHAN BUSU!" 

" 500 strokes YAHIKO-CHAN!" was the response that sent everyone into side stitching hilarity. "And HURRY up!" 

"Oh that boy is going to get it." Sano chuckled attempting to get his breathing under control. "You would have thought a couple of decades would have helped him remove such childish behavior.

Kenshin wiped away tears. "I can attest that a persons master can make you feel like your twelve again."

"Perhaps I should relay that information to Hiko?" Sano teased.

The clicking noise of a Katana being prepared to be drawn shut Sano up rather quickly with the implied hint. Kenshin may reverse the blade but it would still hurt like hell. 

"Or maybe not." Sano hastily added. 

"Good Morning everyone." Misao said loudly as she bounced into the room. Chopsticks and bowls went flying as the Oniwabanshu rushed to say good morning. 

Okon, Omasu, Okina, Shiro, all faces that had names now, all of them people who she knew and loved well. Misao let out a slight shriek as she disappeared under hugs and fast questions. 

Aoshi stood next to the door and watched Misao's laughter flushed face with a loving glance. "Later." He told them all simply when he noticed Sano eyeing the food in a sneaky manner. 

Everyone sat down to eat and enjoyed some light chatter except for occasional laugh and "BUSU' completed by a loving '500 STROKES YAHIKO-CHAN!'

Everyone eventually cleared out leaving Aoshi and Kenshin alone. 

"I hope you evening went as well as mine." Kenshin told Aoshi. "Kaoru seems to be pretty much the same except for the occasional blush and that look is back in her eyes."

"We talked." Aoshi responded unwilling to go into detail. 

Kenshin nodded. 

Both jumped when Kenshin's phone went off. "Hello."

"Baka Deshi." Hiko's voice responded. "Everything is normal here, Enishi would be a fool to attempt to attack me here."

__

Hi to you to, Shishio. Kenshin thought darkly, his amber eyes glinting in amusement and irritation. "That is nice to know."

"You will mate the girl as soon as possible." Hiko told him flatly. "The sooner you have her the sooner the Blood Ki is going to be less of a temptation."

"That is not why I am mating her." Kenshin told him firmly. 

"It will also increase your powers."

"Again its all a mute point." Kenshin told him. "I am mating her because I am in love with her."

"And you get a few added bonuses." Hiko replied. "If you want to defeat Shishio who has mated with Yumi then you had better do so soon. The Blood Moon grows."

Kenshin sighed when Hiko hung up. "And such a loving person."

Aoshi calmly sipped his tea.


	12. Chapter Twelve

(Ducks behind desk and hides)

(Waves white flag)

Yes I know this chapter was a long time coming, and yes I am very sorry but I have good reason! First we have been having lots of and lots of storms down here in Oklahoma and its kinda hard to write with lightening. Second I am packing like crazy to go to college and I move in Sunday. Third I got the best beta and she has been busting her tail end to make this chapter as good as it is and that takes time!

Since I am moving into college it may cause updates to be slower, but I love you all too much to keep from updating as often as I can!

Everyone say thank you to Pia Bartolini for being suck a great Beta-er. 

She is the reason the beginning of the Lemon below is so good...actually its more like a interlude to the Lemon, the actual Lemon will be in the next chapter if you lot think I can fit it in, and if you want one. I don't want to offend any of my readers so here is fair warning:

****

It gets graphic below!

So if you're ready for some Battousai Goodness read on and say thank you Pia!

A big thank you to Little Girl Stephie for being so sweet.

Remember I do now own Kenshin gumi....

Ravyn

Kaoru hopped on one foot in a less than graceful attempt to put on her favorite pair of sneakers. Her braided mane danced around her shoulders and she finally forced her heel into the tied shoes.

Maybe she should start unlacing them before putting them on, but normally they just slide on and off. Blowing her bangs out of her eyes Kaoru rummaged through the bags that had been dropped off by the Oniwabanshu members. Reaching down she found what she was looking for, her wallet and purse.

Digging through her purse Kaoru pulled out the three twenties she had stashed there and stuffed two of them into her wallet, pocketing the other in her pants.

Knocking Yahiko around earlier had felt more familiar than anything else thus far, and did much to help ground her unstable memories.

After practice, much to Kaoru's surprise, Soujiro had approached her and Misao, offering to take them out to lunch. He informed them that afterward he had some contacts to get in touch with and figured it would be best for the girls to go ahead and meet those who worked for them in the area.

Soujiro had told them that there were a few agents in Kyoto and he planned on introducing them to as well, as long as they promised not to tell Saitou. As some of Kaoru's most disturbing memories were of Saitou she really was quick to agree.

Opening the bedroom door, Kaoru walked downstairs to where Misao and Soujiro were standing. A day full of work, which also included a free lunch, was definitely preferable to standing around and trying to make sense of her jumbled up emotions.

Soujiro offered Kaoru a smile. "Did you inform Kenshin of our plans?"

Kaoru cracked an evil grin. "I told him the exact same way Misao told Aoshi."

Soujiro groaned. "Please tell me they know where you are going."

"We left them a note, Sou-chan." Misao crooned, linking her arm through Soujiro's. "They don't have to know every little thing we do; it's not like they're our fathers!"

Soujiro sent a panicked look to Omasu and Okon who waved with matching smiles, promising Soujiro much pain if he blew the girls' plans. He never met Kaoru or Misao in the past life but he suddenly realized how they had captured the hearts of both Kenshin and Aoshi.

"Besides Soujiro, ever since this entire assignment started Kenshin has been breathing down my neck. I can barely go to the bathroom in peace!" Kaoru made a face. "Not only that, but I just finished teaching Yahiko, too! A girl needs some downtime."

"It is what's left of the Rurouni that's causing him to be slightly paranoid." Misao nodded, offering wisely.

Kaoru snorted. "And do you know how I handled the Rurouni when he got on my nerves in the last life time?"

Soujiro moaned.

"You bashed him in the head with your Bokken." Misao offered. "The same way I threatened everyone with Kunai. Unfortunately it never worked with Aoshi so I always had to be a bit more creative."

"Care to share some of the more creative moments with me now? I don't think Kenshin is really going to let me bash him in the head, so I have to find others ways of telling him to back off." Kaoru grumped as they walked down the street, Soujiro linking arms with both women.

His face held a slightly panicked look to it, hidden behind the smile. His look could be compared to a man facing the succession technique of the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu. The men passing down the street took the sight of bickering women, tossing dark comments about particular habits, and Soujiro's strained smile. Needless to say they where given a wide berth.

They reached the restaurant far too quickly for his liking, which lead him to believe he had been tricked into this. They had played on his responsibility ethic and here he was sipping soup and eating rice, as if the girls were perfectly innocent.

That is, if you kept away the conversation that was going on.

"Misao, how much do you know about the mating ceremony?" Kaoru questioned tiredly. "I know NOTHING except for the fact that he is going to bite me."

Misao offered her full 1000-Watt smile, "Oh I know just about everything."

Soujiro choked on his rice, coughing hard at the matter of fact tone in Misao's voice. It was disconcerting, especially since he remembered quite clearly that she had been sixteen at the time and was raised in a much stricter age.

"Really?" Kaoru questioned leaning forward. "How?"

"Aoshi was already a vampire back then, Kaoru. So the entire time I was following him I also attempted to find out the secrets that Okina and the others would never tell me. It was much easier for a young 'boy' to find out information back then. You just had to get someone rather drunk." Misao quipped cheerfully.

Soujiro blinked. "Misao you had a two foot long braid."

She gave him a hard look. "I was raised as Oniwabanshu, something as small as a braid is very easy to hide. You should know Soujiro, since you killed me."

Soujiro winced. "I had hoped you would forget that." His expression was mournful; for once the smile long washed away.

Misao reached over and grasped his hand. "It's easy to forgive you because I know you in this life time. If we had not met and become friends, I might be attempting to kill you right now. But I forgive you and that is all you need to know."

Soujiro offered a weak smile.

Kaoru shook her head. "Soujiro, were you really worried about that?"

Soujiro kept his smile, but only with the faintest of gripes. "Wouldn't you? My attempts at making it up to both of you since your murders is what got us into this entire affair to begin with!"

Kaoru laughed lightly. "Oh Soujiro. Think about who you're talking to here! I took the Hitokiri Battousai into my home without a single thought of the consequences; Misao chased a Vampire, a bit more of an oddity in that time than this one, across Japan. You were a different person than you are now, and that is what makes it easy to forgive you."

Misao nodded her dark head. "Besides Sou-chan, you're far too lovable to stay mad at. But, just for a heads-up, this is SO blackmail information."

Soujiro sighed. "Why does that not surprise me?"

"Back to the Mating ceremony?" Kaoru lightly questioned changing the subject.

"There are two parts." Misao informed Kaoru, her eyes thoughtful as she considered the information she had collected in the past and the bits and pieces of it she had heard about in this lifetime. "The first involves the entire Ki and Blood exchange, as you know. But what you don't know is that there are only a few places where it can be done."

Kaoru blinked and leaned forward. "Such as?"

Misao chewed on her lower lip. "For you and Kenshin? The Aoiya, the place where the Dojo used to be, Hiko's mountain hideout, and possibly a shrine somewhere in Japan."

Kaoru blinked repeatedly at her. "What?"

Misao sighed. "In order to do perform the ceremony you have to be a place where both of your Ki's are grounded and a part of location's protection. Hiko's place, because Kenshin has been courting you and you both are tied together with your Ki's. Add Kenshin's ties to Hiten Mitsurugi and you have what you need there. The Aoiya, because of your stay there, as well as your Ki transfer and connection to Kenshin. You could have done the ceremony at the Dojo as well, but who knows where that is now."

Kaoru frowned. "And at the shrine."

Misao shrugged. "He would've had to find a place compatible for both of your Ki's and it's harder to do because of all the holy artifacts."

Soujiro shook his head. "Who would have known, Misao the walking encyclopedia."

Misao made a face. "When it comes to my Aoshi I am very serious Sou-chan!"

Kaoru stifled her laugh behind her hand and quickly shoved a chopstick full of rice into her mouth. Just as Misao was catching onto the fact that she was being laughed at, Soujiro's phone rang.

"Hello."

He blinked rapidly and then winced. "No Himura-san, we are perfectly safe." Soujiro paled drastically, "No, tell Shinomori-san I really don't think I need any extra sword practice. And no, the Oniwabanshu does not need to send out a search party."

Kaoru bit down on her lip and tossed Misao an amused glance.

"No Himura-san...would you like to talk to her? She is right here!" Soujiro did not wait for him to answer, practically throwing the phone at Kaoru. She swallowed her rice and hesitantly brought the phone to her ear.

"Hello?"

"Kaoru." Kenshin growled at her, "Just what were you doing leaving here without telling me where you were going?"

"You and Aoshi where in a meeting," Kaoru pointed out, "And I left you a note."

"Kaoru." Kenshin hissed.

"Don't you take that tone with me Kenshin Himura." Kaoru warned. "I am going to enjoy my day out, we are going to have fun, and you are not, under any circumstances, going to follow us unless you want to have a meeting with my Bokken when I get back."

There was silence on the other end and Kaoru held her breath, hoping she had not crossed the line because Kenshin sure sounded amber eyed from her vantage point.

"I want a phone call every hour, on the hour." Kenshin said flatly.

"Ever three hours or nothing." Kaoru growled right back. "You are not going to interfere with what I have to do today Kenshin. Do you not trust Soujiro to take care of himself? Or better yet, do not trust me?" There was an edge to Kaoru's tone that told Kenshin he was going to be in hot water if he did not answer the question correctly.

"I want you home by dusk. There are some things we need to talk about." Kenshin told her softly, "Or I am going to come and drag you home, myself."

Kaoru winked at Misao. "Thank you Itoshi." Clicking the phone off she tossed it to Soujiro who still looked pale. "Cheer up Soujiro, what's the worst that can happen?"

~*~

Kenshin snapped his phone shut with a click and sent Yahiko and Sano, the two were should have been keeping an eye on the girls, a hot amber filled glance. "They will be back tonight."

They both nodded and edged their chairs away from Kenshin; the man looked very irritated.

"Sano," Aoshi questioned his normal cold voice frigid, "Have you picked up anything on Enishi's activities?"

Sano nodded as he leaned forward. "It's mostly the same old stuff Ice man. He is doing some massive recruiting of zombies and is buying the loyalty of large numbers of werewolves. Luckily the number of Blood Amulets is low so he can't keep sending them after us."

Kenshin sighed. "So he is building his army then."

Sano nodded. " It appears so. Honestly what bothers me most about this whole deal is how exactly Shishio is going to work into this. Even if he doesn't get his hands on Rei, which as long as she is with Hiko I doubt it, the Blood Moon will still increase his ability to stay on earth."

Aoshi sighed. "He will be strong as well."

Yahiko chewed on his lip. "Are they going to keep this battle in Kyoto or are the going to take it somewhere else?"

"My guess is they are gong to stay here." Kenshin said flatly. "The amount of Blood Ki has been increasing dramatically in this city, and it's not just from the moon. Enishi has been moving his troops in secretly for a long time now."

"Which just means trouble." Sano muttered. "There have been a growing number of rapes and murders around here. We expected that, but just the normal rough and tumble on the docks and darker streets has really gone up. Most of my contacts can't meet with me because they are dealing with there own problem or are dead."

"You need to mate soon, Battousai." Aoshi said simply.

Kenshin sighed. "I know. But I am going to have to do it outside so I can null the effects of the Blood Moon. I don't want her to have to struggle with my Ki and the Blood Ki, as well."

Aoshi nodded. "The Oniwabanshu will not be here tonight. We will be checking out points A and B for security reasons."

Yahiko turned his head to see Kenshin's eyes flicker in understanding. "Tsubame and I will make rounds for most of the night as well. Actually, she has been wanting to head back up the mountain to check on Rei."

Sano nodded. "Megumi plans on making sure the clinics are going to be well stocked, so we'll be out for the night as well. If you're going to make Jou-chan yours then tonight would be the night, Kenshin."

Kenshin stood and walked to the window. "If she is willing."

Yahiko snorted. "Kaoru has always been willing Kenshin, in both lifetimes. Yumi probably did you a favor."

Kenshin gave a slight growl at that. The red haired bitch would a get a special hello from Aoshi and himself for the pain she caused their mates.

"You have everything you need, right Kenshin? I mean the whole gift thing was a pain in the ass for me, " admitted Sano. "And I can only guess what you are going to give Kaoru."

Yahiko winced. "Oh yes, shopping for the Mating gift was hell. What can you give to someone, who will be with you for the rest of your lifetime, that isn't completely cliche and leaves her wondering what the heck you were smoking?"

"What did you give Tsubame?"

"What did you give Megumi?"

"Point taken."

Kenshin sighed and watched the sun descend into the clouds that had been building over the mountains. They would most likely hit Kyoto sometime tomorrow which meant tonight would be the his last chance to mate with Kaoru for the time being.

And with the Blood Moon ticking down the sooner he laid claim to her, the better. Mine, Kenshin thought viciously. He had been a very long time waiting; part of him had claimed her the moment she challenged him on the streets of Tokyo so very long ago.

"Aoshi," Kenshin said, turning. "When can you have the Oniwabanshu out of here?"

"An hour." Aoshi replied easily. "I will leave with Misao and Soujiro."

Kenshin nodded and turned back to the city, his eyes swirling with fire and moonlight.

"Anything else you wanted to talk about Kenshin?" Yahiko questioned lightly. "Tsubame I will be heading out shortly and I was wondering if there was anything you wanted me to take to Hiko."

Kenshin shook his head negatively and Yahiko nodded. "I will leave you to your preparations then."

Sano and Aoshi followed, both making plans to completely vacate the premises so Kenshin and Kaoru could have all the privacy they needed. Kenshin would need time to make the wards that would line the roof to keep out prying eyes and probing Ki's.

Vampires could manipulate what people saw with their Ki easily, and thankfully they could also use their Ki to create wards. Kenshin most likely would want the ceremony outside and there was an alcove on the roof that was perfect for what they where going to do.

Kenshin quickly followed his friends, a list of blankets, pillows, and other items rolling in his head as he began to make the preparations for the claiming of one, Kamiya Kaoru.

~*~

"He groped me!" Misao complained, as they left the house of the last contact that Soujiro had set them up to meet.

Kaoru snickered into her hand. "That because he couldn't grope either me or Soujiro."

"And why not?" Misao demanded, outraged. "Is it because I'm smaller and he thought I would back less of a punch?" The man was most likely still on the floor holding his jaw.

"No. It's because Soujiro is a guy and I have this weird Ki binding thing, remember?" Kaoru questioned jokingly.

"Aoshi and I need to have a talk." Misao grumbled darkly, crossing her arms over her chest as if to protect herself. "I dislike being groped."

Kaoru laughed as they turned to head back to the Aoiya. "It's your fault for being so cute, isn't that right Soujiro?"

Soujiro blinked. "Don't bring me into this, Shinomori-san will kill me."

Misao stopped. "So you're saying that you find me unattractive and repulsive?"

Soujiro frantically scrambled for an answer. "I am not saying that at all Misao-chan. I think that you are a very attractive, and a very spoken for, young lady. I just really don't want to be on the receiving end of two Kodachi and a pissed Vampire Lord."

"Smart man." Kaoru told him.

"I try." Soujiro gamely responded.

"Soujiro, do you think you are going to be able to fight against the Vampires?" Misao questioned as the Aoiya came into sight. "I mean, their nature alone makes many of them formidable opponents"

Soujiro sighed. "I've had several offers from Sano and Yahiko to change me, it's just that I do not want the added pressure of the Blood Moon. I don't know what Shishio-sama is going to throw at me and that would just be one more thing into the mix."

Kaoru reached over and squeezed the Tenkan's shoulder. "It will be alright Soujiro. You simply have to believe in yourself and Kenshin."

Soujiro tossed her a real smile. "Himura-san is very lucky to have you, Kaoru-san."

Kaoru smiled. "I'd like to think so."

Misao giggled as she opened the doors to the Aoiya, looking forward to a warm bath to soothe her aching feet. What she found inside, however, surprised her.

It was silent. There was no chatter form Omasu and Okon, no jumbled comments from Okina, and no yelling from Yahiko. "Aoshi?"

He walked in just as she was turning alarmed and gave a smile, which meant the corners of his mouth turned up, slightly.

"We are going to stay at another place tonight, Misao. We have been making sure the rest of the safehouses are well protected and have divided up the duties. You and Soujiro are coming with me. Kaoru, you and Kenshin will be holding down the fort here." It was the longest sentence Aoshi had ever said, outside his private conversations to Misao.

Kaoru nodded, feeling the hidden undertones. It made butterflies dance in her stomach, but she decided not to worry Misao over it. "Alright."

Kaoru watched as Aoshi took Misao by the arm. "Okon and Omasu put some clothing together for you two and they're already packed in the car."

Soujiro shrugged and gamely followed, sensing that he really didn't want to be around this place in a few hours either.

Karou shrugged as she headed up the stairs to change. The clothing she had on was not the practical and comfy attire she was used to relaxing in; and honestly it was just Kenshin who she was going to wearing it in front of, anyhow.

Humming to herself, Kaoru gazed at the now dark Kyoto. Soujiro had been bullied into taking them out to dinner as well so she wasn't hungry. Kaoru realized then, that she had not seen Kenshin since she got home and began walking around to locate the Vampire.

Just as she was turning into a dark hall a hand caught her by the elbow to keep her from crashing into him.

"Kenshin." Kaoru breathed. "You startled me."

Kenshin smiled at her, his eyes streaked violet, and gently tugged on her arm to indicate she should follow him. "I apologize Koishii. This unworthy one did not mean to startle you." His voice was teasing.

Kaoru whacked him. "Unworthy one? Don't make me smack you Kenshin."

Kenshin smiled slightly, hiding his thoughts as he turned his head away. Kaoru chewed on her bottom lip as they walked up the stairs to the roof, wondering what exactly he had up his sleeve.

"Kenshin?" Kaoru questioned softly as he swung her up in his arms.

"Where we are going, Koishii, the roof becomes steep just before we reach it. I would hate for you to fall." His tone was light as he quickly moved across the dark roof.

Kaoru stifled a gasp as she spied the pallet he had made on the roof. Blue eyes roamed over the entire set up and she shot him a look of both question and surprise.

Kenshin gently smiled and guided her to sit down. Kaoru eyed him his own lean form settled against the pillows, a feeling of anticipation slowly twisting its way into her stomach. Kenshin's eyes held promise, as well as something she could not put her finger on.

"Kaoru," Kenshin murmured, breaking the still of the night. His fingers slowly thread through her own, the back of his thumb caressed her knuckles. "Kaoru-Koishii you probably wondering exactly why I have brought you up here."

Not as much as you think, Kaoru mused as she thought back to the conversation with Misao. "Somewhat."

Kenshin nodded his head, wondering exactly how he could brooch this. Self-confidence was something that Kenshin never lacked, especially since he had learned how to be a singular entity, rather than a fractured piece of the whole. But there was something about Kaoru that drew out the shyness he hid so well behind his amber gaze.

"Tell me." It was a request.

Kaoru dropped her eyes; it was one thing to speak of such things with Misao and an embarrassed Soujiro, it was another thing to discuss it with an amber-eyed man who melted her bones with one heated glance.

"I know about the Ki and blood exchange." Kaoru admitted as she plucked at the hem of the blanket. "I am not one hundred percent sure of what it involves, and I also know that it is considered a marriage and will entail..." Kaoru felt her face flush dark red.

"A physical binding." Kenshin finished, his voice a dark purr. Kaoru looked up as his eyes darkened to the stormy mesh of violet and gold, a gorgeous display of color and emotion that was simply Kenshin.

Kaoru licked her suddenly dry lips and nodded. His eyes promised a dark devotion that was both awe inspiring and devastatingly terrifying.

Kenshin reached over and ran his hand from the edge of her temple to her lips, gently tracing the contours of her mouth with a feathery touch, so vague it seemed almost a phantom caress.

He wanted this woman; with her stormy eyes, her thick midnight tresses, her full silky pout, and that adorable blush. _His_. Everything about her was his. His to touch, his to claim, his to own. _Simply His_.

"You're mine, Kaoru-Koishii." Kenshin breathed, his voice slipping into the lower register that marked the emergence of his carnal emotions. "I _want_ you." His voice was possessive, holding that furtive and passionate edge that never failed to send warm tingles down her spine.

"Kenshin." Kaoru breathed in surprise and slight wariness. This wasn't the Rurouni her past memories brought to life, this was the man who had found her in a empty apartment building, who had ravished her in his car, and who had melted her bones with his amorous attentions. Which also meant that the rules had been tossed out the window.

His face was a mixture of amusement and hungry possessiveness. The rest of the violet faded from his eyes and melted into a haunting gold. He brought her hand to his lips, brushing his tongue across the spidery veins and trailing his teeth over the skin.

"I want to make you _mine_." Kenshin told her roughly. His eyes burned into hers, urging Kaoru to cave into his demands; that she melt into the raging fires within him, that she let the inferno consume her very essence and forge her soul. "I need to make you mine, Koishii. Let me take you beyond all that you know, surrender to me, to this. Please Koishii, I need you."

Kaoru trembled slightly at the pleading in his voice, at the warm fire that thrummed through her own veins. He was asking for more than just her body, Kenshin wanted possession of her soul. And just like the night he asked her for the right to court her, she found herself unable to push him away. She was trapped in a web of pure fire and unable to protest, let alone survive without it.

He must have read something of it in her eyes, read the emotions and expressions that danced through her dark gaze, because he allowed a slow sensuous smirk to pull at his lips, but instead of moving any closer he actually pulled away.

"Koibito," Kenshin told her softly, his eyes never leaving hers, the distance only causing her to crave what she knew would come soon. "My people always offer a mating gift to the female beforehand, and if she accepts then she is giving her consent."

Kaoru blinked lazily at him, slowly nodding in understanding.

He pulled out a tightly rolled piece of paper held together by what looked like a band of some typed and offered it to her, his eyes promising both dark fire and a burning possessiveness.

Kaoru reached out with trembling fingers and pulled it from his palm, her eyes never straying from the sheer force of his gaze. If she had not been watching she would never have believed his eyes could burn brighter, but they did.

Looking down Kaoru was startled to see that the band was actually a ring. A series of sapphires held in place by a delicate band a white gold, reminding her of a tear drops on a gentle beach.

"Something for your eyes." His voice all but purred.

Kaoru licked her dry lips and gently pulled it from the paper, and was surprised when his long fingers took it from her shaking hands and gently slid it on her left ring finger.

"A sign for foolish mortals that you are taken." His dark voice answered even before she questioned him.

Kaoru felt his encouragement to open the carefully rolled paper, and when she did her eyes widened. It was the papers to her family's Dojo.

"I have kept them for a long time Koishii, knowing you would one day want them back." Kenshin murmered, his voice a low rumble of emotion.

Kaoru raised her glittering eyes to his and gave him a brilliant smile, and as if that was the breaking point he reached over and pulled her into his lap. Firm lips crushed her soft pout, seeking the contact that he had so desperately needed.

Kaoru gripped his arms, seeking to balance herself against the onslaught as his tongue explored the caverns of her mouth. One hand raised itself to tangle in his low tail, pulling the band away and setting free his crimson locks.

Kenshin wrapped one arm around her waist and carefully lowered Kaoru to the pillows, careful not to alarm her but insistent in his emotions. He could feel the prick of his fangs, desperate to taste her essence again, to feel it coating his parched throat.

Levering himself with one arm Kenshin pressed their bodies flush, his hands digging into the raw silk of her hair, desperate for the contact. Pulling back, he allowed Kaoru a moment to rest, lovingly suckling her bottom lip and gliding his teeth over the delicate flesh with breathless ease.

Kaoru gasped sharply when he nibbled her bottom lip, moaning and keening as he lapped at the blood kiss, his breathing irregular and his hands tugging her deeper into his embrace. Their Ki swirled in a beautiful miasma at the puncture points.

"Mine." Kenshin breathed, pulling back. His eyes bled black with ill-contained passion. "Tell me your mine." Heated lips dropped to her jaw line, his fangs carefully avoiding her skin.

"I'm yours." Kaoru panted, his lips and tongue reeking havoc on little sanity she still possessed.

"Good." Kenshin breathed as he ran his tongue down her slender neck, his hands grazing her side, and slipping past the alcove of her hips, trapping her form. Their legs entwined, bound by his dark strength. Kisses were laced along her neck, leaving a fiery trail in their wake. His tongue slowly circled the jugular, seduced by its lilting pulse.

"Mine." Kenshin hissed once more before biting down hard. Kaoru arched into his frame, her low moan of pain dying almost before it began. Kenshin kept his heated mouth firmly latched to her neck, gently lapping at the thick blood stemming from the puncture wound, and delighting in the way the tension seeped out of her lithe form, leaving it slack against his.

Kaoru felt the world slip off its' axis and slither away into the dark pool of emotions that Kenshin had been drowning her in. Her entire existence was comprised of him. His lips. His tongue. His heated mouth steeping her body in rivulets of molten passion. Kaoru felt herself float away, trapped in some strange paradox of a dream, cradled only in his possessive, fiery, and loving arms.

Kenshin pulled back only after her heartbeat began to slow, her body completely at the mercy of his touch. Reaching for the small dagger he had brought for this reason he sat up, languidly pulling her to his chest. Holding out his wrist he made a slice, mimicking the mark on her own.

Raising it to her lips, Kenshin coaxed her to suckle, to devour of his essence. Sooty lashes fluttered as she drank. After she had pulled enough to spark the change he pulled his limb away, watching as the flesh mended itself and licking away the crimson excess.

Kaoru splayed bonelessly against Kenshin, feeling the last of the blood course down her throat, carving a molten path down to her stomach. It didn't hurt, not when he cradled her so protectively. In shadowy consciousness she barely acknowledged the aching burn that tore through her muscles, the lightheadedness and sagging weight of her limbs, the white-hot pain lancing through her gums, the razor sharp teeth grazing her ravaged lips.

"You have to bite me Koishii." Kenshin whispered in her ear. "In the neck, where I bit you."

Kaoru, surrendering her control to the carnal instincts now seeping into her bones, twisted against Kenshin's form, her teeth sliding into his skin. Ravenously she pulled the same essence from his sinewed neck that had earlier, been pulled from her own.

Kenshin's molten eyes fluttered closed as he felt her new sharp teeth sink into his neck. Twisting hard to the right he lowered them both back down before he reciprocated, sinking his own fangs into her soft neck once more.

And then it happened.

Kaoru felt as if her world had shattered with this second tasting of blood. It rolled and pulsed, collapsing into a million pieces beautiful fragments of herself. All that existed was the warm weight of Kenshin covering her form and the tang of his blood in her wanton mouth. All that mattered was the fire that started out as a flicker and raced through her being, and morphing into an all-consuming inferno.

Their souls touched.

Kenshin felt his Ki being expelled from his body. The very heat that scorched his entirety every passing day, the very essence of his soul being thrust into the delicate stormy-eyed Vampire under him, only to be replaced by something altogether more. It was as if his fire was fed, transformed, and amplified by her own. The taste of her rich blood on his tongue, the sensation of his Ki being forged and melded with hers, the miasma of emotion that was simply Kaoru being trumpeted throughout his being, and swirling into something that was singular. Them.

__

'Can you here me Koishii?' Kenshin questioned mentally, remembering the stories Hiko had told him.

'_Yes_.' Came her surprised voice, the feeling of it coursing through his veins in response to her emotions.

Kenshin rumbled his reply, emotions passing pure and clear between them, a promise that later he would explain. Kenshin shuddered lightly as Kaoru's feelings were forged into his being.

And then he pulled back, gently tugging himself free of her stunning fangs.

Kaoru lay panting below him, her lips swollen and crimson with his blood. Reaching down, Kenshin gently ran his tongue over her mouth, prompting her to do the same, lapping up the last traces of their intermingled blood.

"What was that?" Kaoru finally managed, her voice a mere whisper.

Kenshin pulled her close, his eyes a welcoming amber, cooled slightly by the knowledge that at least in soul, she was now his. "Our Ki was transferred into each other, balancing us out and pulling our strength to the front." _'If you concentrate you can feel it._' He silently confided, his tone gentle and warm.

Kaoru raised startled eyes to him, but did as he asked. It was like the night she was attacked in the club, his Ki was dark and aggressive, no longer contained within its barriers but completely swathing her in its dark hold.

"How do you do that?" Karou asked him, her expression curious. He was talking to her in her head again, and if she remembered correctly she had talked to him as well.

"Because of the change Koishii," He replied softly, "Your brain can now handle such things, and mimic what it sees. If I had tried to speak to you in this way before, I would have harmed you."

Kaoru nodded and was content to lay in his powerful arms, even as she was aware of an ache slowly beginning to build within her, her own carnal desires seeking release.

Kenshin slowly propped himself up on one elbow, his hair falling around his face in a curtain of blood red, and his eyes shining with moonlight once again. "I _want_ you Koishii." His words where simple but held a wealth of meaning.

Kaoru flushed but held his gaze. "But you have me." She whispered.

Kenshin gave a lazy smile. "Not completely." And reaching down he captured her lips once more.

Remember to review and to always shop for chips and fish!


	13. Chapter Thirteen lemonless

........  
  
*sucks flying fruit and rotten vegetables*  
  
Okay first of all....no Lemon this chapter. *dives behind beta* I am afraid that it would have taken ANOTHER week or so to get this out, and as it is everything that could interfer with this chapter has. Plus FFN has supposedly been cracking down on such things so I will not be posting it here as it is, but I will let you all know when its up and where you can find it either from my authors notes or on my profile.  
  
300 reviews? Thank you guys SO much! Thats almost a hundred reviews for this chapter! And remember to thank my darling beta! Pia is such a doll for doing this! I hope this chapter does not disappoint any of you since the action is starting back up again, and after this it is going to get rather rocky.  
  
Thank you all for being so patient with me! Hopefully the next chapter will not take near as long! *Pia inserts overdramatic cough*  
  
Ravyn  
  
Remember, the sad news is I don't own Kenshin. Really wish I did...think....rope.....handcuffs.....whipcream.....  
  
*Pia slowly exits bomb shelter, eyeing the hoards of rabid fangirls nervously*  
  
clears throat  
  
Please do not murder the innocent beta. It was the Neutered Squirrels at Hotmail that withheld this chapter from you. They refuse to allow attachments unless appeased. Thus, I had to pray to their deity, King Fuzzy Nuts III, and offer up sacrifices of Pocky and half-shaved Billy Bo Bubba Trunks Plushies for half a fortnight before finally being allowed to send the edit of this chapter. So you see, its really not my fault. Now, Ravyn, on the other hand....  
  
*Ravyn waves pitchfork menacingly*  
  
EEP! Tootles, gotta go!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Misao curled up in the seat of Aoshi's jeep and watched as the buildings and roads gradually thinned out. The stars stilled burned brightly but Misao figured they had been driving for some time.  
  
And with Aoshi driving like he was a possessed man, that was a little difficult to comprehend. Misao guessed it would be a few more hours before the dawn would break. Gazing upwards out the window, she watched in awe as a single shooting star streaked across the midnight sky.  
  
'I wish that Aoshi would stop taking his time and just let loose.'  
  
Misao closed her eyes; the melancholy mood shattered by a particularly loud snore from Soujiro, and allowed a faint giggle to fall from her mouth.  
  
"Aoshi," Misao questioned, her eyes flashing with a mischeivous fire, "do you snore as loud as Soujiro?"  
  
Aoshi shot her an unamused glance which only fed her delighted laugh, a small smile tugging at his lips as he continued to ignore her question.  
  
"Aoshi!" Misao complained, her voice bordering on that of a child. "I need to know if this is going to be a problem between us in the future!"  
  
"It is a human thing." Aoshi told her in a slightly exasperated tone, his eyes locked on the road, effectivly concealing the amusement that danced in their depths.  
  
Misao gave into her laughter, which in turn awoke Soujiro from a particularly painful snore, and that just sent the petite woman into yet another gail of noise.  
  
Soujiro shot Aoshi a questioning glance, but the man just quirked a brow before turning his attentions back to the road. Soujiro looked at Misao in confusion, it was highly doubtful that the Iceman had cracked a joke, but Misao was still attempting to catch hold of her giggles.  
  
Soujiro just groaned and leaned back again. Life was so much simpler when you where asleep.  
  
Misao settled back down and contented herself with watching Aoshi as he drove, his profile yummy enough that she wished she had Kaoru's talent at drawing. Right then would have been the perfect time to put his stunning features on paper.  
  
"What." Aoshi questioned, but Misao easily read the wealth of question in his voice. 'What are you looking at?'  
  
"You." Misao answered dreamily, her eyes filling with the affection of two lifetimes.  
  
Aoshi glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. Braided hair long-since mussed from the car trip, jewel-like eyes glinting with more love than he deserved, and in that moment Aoshi decided he was tired of human courting.  
  
Reaching over, he tangled the fingers of his right hand with hers and contented himself with the feeling of her delicate palm sheltered within his own. He said nothing as the dark haired woman unbuckled herself and scooted over so she could use his arm as a pillow, never releasing the firm hold of his hand.  
  
Aoshi watched the road with a growing feeling of distraction as her delicate breath brushed against his skin, and was suddenly thankful for Soujiro's uncanny snoring, for it offered him the distraction he needed.  
  
Once they got to their destination he would ask Misao permission to court her in his people's way, and until then he would content himself with simple sound of her breathing.  
  
"Misao-mine." Aoshi whispered softly to her sleeping head, "I won't let you go this time."  
  
~*~  
  
Yahiko sipped the bitter tasting brew that Tsubame had brought him. The acrid taste of coffee was one he had never really learned to love, but if it came from his mate he accepted without complaint. Yahiko suddenly had a growing sympathy for Kenshin. Where Tsubame had the ability to make anything except coffee taste good; Kaoru had the ability to turn anything into poison.  
  
Now that he thought about it, Kenshin wasn't the only one of there group who seemed to have found a liking for cooking. He rarely saw Megumi slaving over the oven, and the couple rarely went out. Sano it seemed, for all his macho play, was the one who spoiled his mate in the matter of household chores the most. Megumi always busied herself with the Vampire clinics or patching up one of her comrades. And on the off chance that her medicinal skills weren't needed, she worked alongside Sano, chasing leads.  
  
But their house was always clean and neat, and while Megumi did do the laundry, that was perhaps the only chore that she had a hand in. Sano had always protested the idea of a maid or butler, so one had to wonder.  
  
Yahiko paused his thoughts as he went over a passage from the briefing again, in something akin to horror. Reading it over a third time, just to make sure he was processing the information correctly, he reached for his phone. His hand immediately trained for Kenshin's number, Yahiko froze in remembrance of his friend's activities tonight.   
  
Cursing, because he would rather kill himself then allow anyone to interrupt the newly mated pair, he dialed a different number. She would be the only one able to arrive in time, and with the numbers needed, if help was to come at all.   
  
"Aoshi is walking into a trap."  
  
~*~  
  
Misao stretched, blinking sleepily at the chirping birds and pale morning light. Aoshi had disappeared to check the perimeter and Soujiro was unloading the car.  
  
She stretched again, and started when something sailed by her ear. Turning, she stared in awed detachment at the handle of a knife. Eyes widening in understanding she threw herself to the ground, rolling quickly.  
  
"Soujiro!" Misao's voice was a muffled warning as she found herself behind a tree, hands instinctively reaching for the Kunai that where still in the car. Swearing, she looked around in hopes of finding some sign of the attacker.  
  
"Behind you little girl."  
  
Misao felt her eyes widen, and then clench in pain as something slipped between her shoulder blades.  
  
Soujiro, oblivious to Misao's slight call and the impending danger, frowned as he felt something on the wind change. His hand settled on the hilt of his Katana as he walked around the car, eyes searching for any sign of Misao. His body stiffening with alarm as he caught sight of the knife.   
  
"Misao!" Soujiro called, his Ki flooding outward in an attempt to locate hers. What he found shook him to the core, and he nearly fumbled his weapon.  
  
Her Ki was rapidly fading, as if her life forced was being drained. He turned, sprinting around to the other side of the car, Katana unsheathed. A vampire was pulling a knife from the limp girl's back; Misao unresponsive to pain as she was hoisted up to his bared fangs. And in that moment, Soujiro utilized every ounce of god-like speed he had been gifted with.  
  
Soujiro caught the falling girl as the vampire's head thudded on the ground and rolled lazily away. Bounding towards Aoshi with Misao in tow, he was all too aware of the growing number of Blood Ki in the vicinity. Feeling her lifeblood trickle down his arm, Soujiro fervently prayed that Misao could be saved before they lost her, yet again.  
  
Soujiro found him racing towards them. Aoshi's handsome face was drawn into tight lines, as if he already knew what had happened. Bloody Kodachi fell carelessly from his hands as he gathered Misao to his chest, a blank expression gracing his features as his eyes burning with utter madness.  
  
"Change her." Soujiro barked, his Katana unsheathed and readied as the dark forces closed in.  
  
Aoshi shot him a fierce look of understanding, but Soujiro could see the dark despair even then, for Misao would become a Vampire without the protection afforded her by mating with Aoshi. She would be utterly defenseless against the surging Blood Ki.  
  
"I promise Aoshi," Soujiro whispered, his expression blank, except for the faint smile that normally adorned his features. "None shall touch you."  
  
Coming from the man who was the Battousai's equal in speed and power when changed, it was not a flippant promise, but as the dark forces began to close in, it might have very well been a vain one.  
  
Aoshi threw his beloved's fate to the wind, his teeth sliding forward and slowly drawing Misao's essence from her body, his Ki held firmly in check to keep from claiming her. That task was made only slightly easier by the fact that he had yet to court her, and in bitter realization, Aoshi knew that if he failed today, the chance to court his one love would never come.   
  
Soujiro slide into his favored Battou Jitsu stance, hand resting lightly on the well-worn hilt of his Katana, before his foot tapped a single time.  
  
~*~  
  
Kaoru awoke to the feeling of fingers twined through her hair, and with a half-lidded gaze she assessed her position.  
  
Her bare leg was wedged comfortably between two muscular, warm ones; the other casually flung atop the heap. A strong arm had wrapped itself around Kaoru's shapely waist and sought to cradle her against the firm expanse of satin and steel that was his chest. Nuzzling the skin, she sighed.  
  
Kenshin.  
  
"Koishii." His voice rumbled, the sounds reverberating under her cheek making his voice seem even deeper than normal. Kaoru allowed a lazy smile to play across her mouth when she realized that she and her lover were both still unclothed and very much wrapped up in one another.  
  
Kaoru raised her head and kissed the underside of his jaw. "Kenshin." Her voiced laced with the husky tones of sleep.  
  
Kenshin smiled for a moment before he rolled them both, managing to trap her underneath him. His admiring gaze took in the early morning flush of her face and her sleep-glazed eyes, framed by a rumpled mass of hair that entwined them both. Beautiful.  
  
"Hungry?" his voice asked lightly, only the ring of amber around his violet gaze hinting at any shaded meaning.  
  
Kaoru felt a faint blush light her face as she recalled the activities of the night before, and suddenly she was keenly aware of his hands gently holding her waist. Hands that had all but reinvented her soul the night before.  
  
"Depends." Kaoru offered lazily, wrapping her arms around his neck and toying with the strands of crimson that captured and sparked the soft light of the sun.  
  
Kenshin allowed his eyes to roam over the rest of her form, tilting his face closer to her own. Breath tickled his lips as their noses brushed affectionately. The infernos of last night had receded, the scorching need to possess her soul and brand her body with the blistering swells of his own had long-since ceased, leaving a comforting and gently incessant warmth in its wake.   
  
"On what?" Kenshin breathed against her soft lower lip.  
  
"What where you planning on serving?" Kaoru asked in playful innocence, completely belied by the spark in her eyes.  
  
Kenshin allowed his right hand to play lazy circles on her smooth skin, delighting in the way she shifted into his hold. Kenshin smirked slightly before allowing his mouth to brush lightly against hers, bestowing a fragile phantom of a kiss.  
  
And when Kaoru pulled his close, beckoning for more, he obliged. Any thought of something besides one another was quickly shuttered out as Kenshin easily pulled Kaoru back in the fires of the night before, his hands and lips defining her yet again as the sun began to streak the morning with its brilliant beams.  
  
Some time later, after they had both taken showers and giggled over having someone wash their backs, Kaoru found herself sipping coffee and watching Kenshin expertly cook her an omelet.  
  
Some part of her had sighed in absolute contentment, the familiarity of having him cook for her something that settled into her skin as easily as his touch. Kaoru watched the graceful way his sinewy muscles rippled under the skin of his torso, and the skill with which his agile hands manipulated the ingredients into the position he wanted.  
  
Bliss.  
  
'Kaoru-Koishii.' Kenshin's voice easily invaded her mind, a touch of wonder tinting the amusement in his mental voice at being able to converse with her in such a intimate manner. 'Enjoying something?'  
  
Kaoru allowed herself a faint smile. 'The view.'  
  
He flashed her a predatory smile; the amber circling of his eyes still in place. Something, he had explained, that was most likely going to stay since he was so balanced now. His Ki was no longer shreds of torn energy, but rather, a singular nucleus of and strength and power, easily eclipsing what she had felt the night before. Kaoru felt strangely awed that something as simple as her touch or presense could be responsible for such a tremendous shift in his lifeforce.   
  
He had also told her that durning the last phase of mating that their souls had not only touched, but bonded together as well. That was why mates could recognize one another, and how not even death could completely sever their connection. Kenshin's lips parted in a smirk, sending delicious shivers down her spine, as he had declared that even if she wanted to get away from him it would be impossible, and that she was absolutely stuck with him.  
  
Kaoru frowned thoughtfully as she felt something nag at the new preternatural awareness she had discovered upon waking that morning, as if something was slightly off kilter. Shrugging off the feeling, Kaoru decided to simply enjoy the presence of the man she had fought so hard for, and against, for so long.  
  
Sometimes it was simpler (and a hell of a lot more enjoyable) to concentrate on the matter at hand, which at the moment was Kenshin's fine backside as he bent over, searching for a certain pan. The time for seriousness and unease would come soon enough, as the real world descended upon them once again. But for now, it was time to enjoy her freshly brewed coffee and Kenshin's delicious ass.  
  
~*~  
  
Soujiro had long since lost count of the bodies that parted beneath his blade, of the times he had simple paused and eyed the oncoming forces, the times he had mentally tallied Misao's breaths, and the times that he had buried the weariness threatening to seize his battered and overtaxed form.  
  
He had felt something akin to a shift of Ki in Misao, and knew she was warping from human to Vampire. That thought alone brought him much peace. She was saved from dying of blood loss, but not before the scent of her essence had driven the surrounding Vampires into a carnal flurry. Suddenly they were faced with a very powerful and equally available she-Vampire, fresh for the taking. Aoshi was drained from changing her without laying claim, and it was showing in the pallor around his lips and eyes.  
  
Soujiro allowed his god-like speed to pause, and watched in something akin to awe as the Vampires around him fell. Blinking, he leaned over and noticed a screw-like object protruding from their necks.  
  
Before turning, he heard Aoshi suck in a gasp of pure shock, his Ki screaming surprise and joy, pain and a touch of fear. Shikijou, Hyottoko, Beshimi, and Hannya, the four lost Oniwabanshu members, stood proudly against the carnage. Their eyes burned with a fire bright enough to set anyone ablaze, nevermind a weak group of zombies lead by a handful of idiotic Vampires.  
  
The stories of their protective nature towards a young Misao raced through Soujiro's mind, and immediately vanished when he saw the stranger with them. A petite woman with brown hair cut close to her head and eyes the color of warm coffee, she moved with a speed that was not quite god-like but impressive in its own right. In her hand was a series of complicated numb chucks that severed heads as easily as they tore limbs.  
  
Whoever it was, was simply breathtaking.  
  
Soujiro snapped himself back into reality and felt morbidly bemused at the entire situation. Aoshi, on the other hand, was still sitting there with a slightly stunned expression on his face.  
  
They lived. All four of them lived and breathed and fought. The grace, speed and numbers that had once made them a perfect team prevailed again. Aoshi cradled Misao's limp form in his arms and felt something akin to peace finally enter his soul . She would live, and he would have his most faithful and dearest friends with him again.  
  
The battle was quickly over with the help of the Oniwabanshu and the mysterious lady. Soujiro idly flicked the blood from the tip of his Katana and turned to face the group whilst sheathing it.  
  
"Misao?" Soujiro questioned softly, afraid to ask but needing to know.  
  
"She will be weak for a few days, but she will live." Aoshi whispered, eyes filled with more emotions that Soujiro had ever seen in the stoic man's gaze.  
  
He looked past Soujiro and stared at the woman who was in behind him, Soujiro turning to look at her as well. Up close she was even more lovely than at a distance.  
  
"Shura the pirate." Aoshi stated, his tone questioning.  
  
Shura smiled at that. "I owed Kenshin a favor. On my travels across the sea I ran into some unsavory company and he lifted a hand, then later when I was changed against my will he leant me some security against my nature."  
  
His eyes fell to the four standing so quietly behind her.  
  
"Shura-dono," spoke the man who Soujiro placed as Hannya, " has been been collecting strays for the past few years."  
  
Shura rolled her eyes. "Kenshin asked me to see what I could find, so I looked into it to return the favor."  
  
Aoshi licked his suddenly dry lips. "You're human."  
  
Hannya gave a low bow and the others mimicked his movements. "We wish to be changed by our Okashira."  
  
~*~  
  
Kaoru leaned against the wall of the Dojo, her breathing rapid, but much easier than it would have been had she attempted to try this as a human. She had been edgy all day decided to work some of her steam off in the Dojo. About half way through her katas Kenshin had decided to test her skills out.  
  
So far she had been getting knocked around like a rag doll.  
  
Kenshin eyed her with a calculated look that caused her to bristle. Kaoru moved away from the wall into a defensive stance, and soon after that they had started again.  
  
He never went full god-like speed against her, but instead seemed to be testing Kaoru from everything angle to see what she could handle. He was much stronger than Soujiro was and faster as well, but thankfully, for the most part, she seemed to be able to stay on her feet.  
  
Quite a bit of her luck seemed to come from memories suddenly showing her how he completed a move, or how he started one, and still other memories told her to just get the hell out of there.  
  
Finally Kaoru flopped down and stared at the ceiling, her breathing coming in ragged pulls, while Kenshin, himself, had barely broken a sweat.  
  
"I am so out of shape." Kaoru managed to groan when he sat next to her.  
  
"Yes." Kenshin agreed, his eyes laughing. "But we will work on it. For a beginner you did not do so bad Kaoru."  
  
She snorted.  
  
"Remember Koishii, I have several hundred years of experience on you." Kenshin gently reminded her.  
  
Kaoru sighed in exasperation. "That doesn't mean I have to like it!"  
  
Kenshin laughed and pulled her up. "That is why you are going to get better."  
  
Kaoru nodded absently, the uneasiness returning as soon as she stopped moving.  
  
"What is it?" Kenshin asked airily, his eyes watching her every expression with near obsession.  
  
Kaoru frowned slightly, her eyes on some distant point on the wall. "Something isn't right."  
  
Kenshin frowned slightly, his eyes becoming glazed as he extended his Ki, feeling the same disturbances as his mate, a smirk slowly beginning to pull at his mouth.  
  
She was choosing a court.  
  
Reaching down, he pulled Kaoru up and gently lead her from the Dojo. "Come on, I know who to call to find out what is going on."  
  
Kaoru had no choise but to follow.  
  
~*~  
  
Yumi, trapped somewhere in the miasmic void that contained both her and her lover's souls, frowned at the cross-dressing man she was presented with. It seemed that by being reborn in a time when the behavior was marginally more accepted boosted the freak's ideas about getting his hands on her Shishio.  
  
"Kamatari, what are you doing here?" Yumi demanded, her voice irritated and and with a slight edge. The void was a place where it was just her and Shishio, no one else to get in the way of their activities.  
  
"Don't think just because you managed to get yourself stranded with Shishio-sama that you are better than me bitch. I am a loyal follower of Shishio-sama so I am able, at great personal cost, to contact him. I will not allow your ugly and annoying face to get in the way of my pressing need to be with my Lord." The veiled hint was tight with promise, and his voice, ever annoying.  
  
"This is MY realm, Kamatari, do not make the mistake of crossing my will." Yumi warned. She had earned the right to serve Shishio here by allowing him to take her life, helping him the only way she knew how. In this lifetime she had learned how to evert more control and be of a greater use to her love. And some damn psycho like Kamatari was not going to interfere.  
  
"Kamatari." Shishio's deep voice easily slid through the darkness itself, the words lingering in the minds and souls of those who heard him. "Have you found anything of importance for me?"  
  
"Soujiro is working for the Battousai," Kamatari replied, "Cho has already been killed by Himura, and he has recently mated with the girl who you disposed of in the last lifetime."  
  
"Then that is where they are hiding the child." Shishio easily inferred as he slid out of the darkness. The only light to pierce to dreariness of the void was the fires that raged within his eyes, and the eerie glow of Yumi's palm.  
  
"Shishio-sama?" Yumi questioned.  
  
"The only man who the Battousai holds in high esteem."  
  
Kamatari bowed low. "We shall begin looking for the Thirteenth master of Hiten Mitsurugi style immediately Shishio-sama."  
  
"See that you do." Shishio blended back into the shadows, leaving Yumi and Kamatari alone once again.  
  
"Enjoy him will you can bitch." Kamatari whispered. "I will take Shishio-sama from you and once I do, I will never let him leave."  
  
"He would never accept what you have to offer while he still has me!" Yumi flared, before slipping back into the familiar blanket of darnkess.   
  
Kamatari shrugged, "Then you will just have to disappear, won't you Yumi? I am sure Soujiro would be more than happy to kill you with the right incentive."  
  
The last light flickered and died as Kamatari felt the tug of the Mortal Realm once again.  
  
Kamatari sat up with a sigh, feeling a smile pull at his perfect mouth. " And if Soujiro won't, then the others will."  
  
~*~  
  
A shadow stood at the edge of the Aoiya, watching the Ki that danced around, both strong and defiant, but neither prepared for what he would bring against them.  
  
"I am coming for you, woman of Himura the Battousai, and we shall see if you can save her, if she can save herself." A nasty smile fell on a face hidden by a darkness not even daylight could penetrate. "We will see if you get angry."  
  
'Get Angry!' 


	14. Chapter Fourteen

Well here we go, the long awaited chapter that will lead up to the final two…yes I know this is very late and once again I apologize fiercely for the fact that it is so delayed.

For all of you Vampire fans who want a darker fan fiction, be sure to go and check out my Amber Linings story. Darker Battousai equals darker fun.

Pai, the most wonderful beta in the world, would like to also apologize for the lack of an update. There have been many things involved that have delayed it, including those wonderful fires you hear about in California…

Yes she does live in California and the areas effected, which kind of puts a damper on how quickly you get the information out!

Remember check out Amber Linings. (A shamless plug!)

Also, I have decided to not actually post the lemon. But because there is one that has been written, although its not edited, if you would like to have it let me know and I will be happy to email it to you. I am doing this because I believe that it will be a bit much for this story, but Amber Linings is shaping up to be much darker and will most likely contain one. 

Please email if you wish to have it.

Ravyn

It was simply amazing what could happen in a matter of moments. Lost comrades returned, humans changed into something beyond mortal, and then of course the cincher - nightfall.

Kaoru slumped against the counter, cold leftovers momentarily forgotten, and exhaled deeply as she contemplated the most recent developments in her previously settled life.

Mated Kenshin.

Check.

Discovered a series of new abilities such as elevated pain tolerance, telepathy, physical endurance, and quicker energy replenishment.  Continued absence of culinary skills.

Check.

Misao got attacked, changed into a vampire without bonding to Aoshi, discovered the long-lost Oniwabanshu members that had previously been slaughtered.

Check.

Shura, the Pirate Lady who had once kidnapped Kenshin, was responsible for the downfall of a major smuggling ring, also a newly introduced vampire.

Check.

A long ass meeting with Hiko on the blasted phone that gave you a killer migraine.

Check.

Kaoru pushed herself off the countertop, satisfied that she hadn't left anything out.  She supposed she could add her bruises from the earlier spar with Kenshin to the list as well.  Still pondering her current state, Kaoru carefully reheated the rice.

"Please don't burn the kitchen down." Misao muttered, somewhere from her left.  Kaoru shifted to see the still-gaunt girl leaning against table. Her nose was wrinkled in distaste at something, and Kaoru figured it was the acrid smell that had filled the kitchen at her java-gone-awry.

"It's the coffee." Kaoru easily pointed out, her lips twisting in amusement, even as her worried blue gaze drifted from the top of her friend's head to the bottom. She even used a trick Kenshin had insisted she learn that morning and eyed her friend's Ki, and by filtering it through her own, checked for weaknesses.

Misao made a face at that.

"I am fine you silly girl," she scolded. Misao was, as always, directly aware of the raw and simplistic power her friend possessed. It was there, like a great stream of energy just waiting for the right moment to flood whoever and whatever it came in contact with.

Kaoru eyed Misao, keenly aware of her vivid expression, of the swirling tendrels of blue-green that composed her lively gaze. It wasn't a muted color - two dull colors swirling to make the crystal color - but instead, two bright colors fighting for dominance.

Both women sat down and picked at the luke-warm rice, neither really trusting Kaoru's skills, or lack thereof. Both took a bite, made a face, and pushed it back.

"That is disgusting." Misao pointed out, her nose wrinkled in seeming distaste. "Utterly horrible.  Why do I insist on tortuing my lready mutalted tastebuds with your concoctions?  Maybe pain is my thing."

Kaoru nodded in agreement. "It tastes like that damn coffee permeated it or something."

The thought of something that horrendous was simply unbearable.

Kaoru poked at an unidentifiable object; her nose scrunched in obvious bewilderment, and looked up at her friend who held an uncharacteristically serious expression on her face.

"What?"

"Tomorrow is the Blood Moon." Misao commented her voice soft.

"Yes." Kaoru found nothing else could really be said. She knew, intuitively, that Misao was worried about her new heritage.  More specifically, worried about calling the wrong kind of Ki.

Another thought hit Kaoru. "Oh."

Aoshi wouldn't be able to protect her from it and Kaoru was wondering exactly when she had started to rely on him in the first place. She chewed her bottom lip in though, trying to broach the subject aa delicately as she could.

"Misao, do you remember that neat little trick we discovered when we were 16....in this lifetime, I mean." Kaoru wasn't sure when she had started categorizing which lifetimes she chose to pull a memory from, but she had.

Misao froze in her chair. "You mean the one where…"

"We shared Ki." Kaoru said cheerfully, attempting not to remember the beating  that 'brilliant idea' had gotten them. Soujiro had practically ripped their heads off. It was highly dangerous to blend Ki, in any form, and Kaoru mentally wondered if it was something only a mated couple could do. She had to agree with Soujiro's assessment, ever since that experience she had been uncannily aware of Misao.

Misao frowned. "Kaoru, you remember what Soujiro said, as he wiped the mat with our sweating, hurting, and pleading forms."

Kaoru remember quite well. "Misao, if you run into trouble, do it."

She shook her head. "Kaoru we don't fully understand the implications of what that does and…"

Kaoru reached forward and clasped her friend's hands comfortingly. "I am not going to let something as stupid as a risk kill you, not in this lifetime."  She flashed Misao a smile. "Besides, when have we ever listened to a word Sou-chan says anyway?!"

Both women grimaced at a few choice memories, complete with subsequent punishments.  However they soon turned their minds back to the present as their stomachs echoed the earlier pleas of hunger.  They would lose some of the bite of their appetites once the Vampyric and Human blood had mixed completely, but right now they were starving.

"I think you should go up there, grab Kenshin by the ears, hurl him down the blasted stairwell, and then tell him to cook us something." Misao stated. She never took her eyes from the poisonous and mutilated rice dish before her, lips twitching upwards. "I mean think about it, the makeup sex would be great."

Kaoru, who had just decided to rinse the taste of horrendous rice out of her mouth with some water, spit it out rather violently.

"Misao!"

"Well you didn't have to give me a bath."

"Misao!"

"Heh, you know what they say about swordsmen....I bet that boy's got some impressive stamina."

"MISAO!"

"No need to scream Kaoru, I'm right here," she commented dryly.  Kaoru's glare soon morphed into satisfaction when her kick knocked both the offender and chair to the floor.

"Misao," Kaoru hissed, leaning towards Misao with blush-stained cheeks, "SHUT UP!"

~*~

Kenshin leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his thighs, as he listened to Shura and Hannya's report. They had been talking for hours, the platters of finger food and the daylight dwindling in kind.

"So Enishi has been recruiting." He whispered to himself, eyes distant.

"That is not all Kenshin-sama." Shura continued. "I believe that there may be a slight dissension in the ranks. Enishi has not been in direct contact with Shishio, but has been relying on Kamatari to offer proper sacrifice to see him."

This caused several  brows to fly.

"Kamatari." Soujiro whispered thoughtfully, his expression troubled. Out of all of those present, he knew the opposition best. "That could cause problems, especially if he thought there was hope in gaining Shishio's love."

Kenshin frowned. " Can we use that to our advantage?"

Soujiro sighed. "No. Kamatari would not allow anything to get in his way, its more likely that he would set Yumi up. He not would endanger either Shishio or himself, and would most likely attempt to press our buttons. Remember, without Rei there is only a fifteen minute gap for them to fight."

Aoshi sighed. "Rei is safe with Hiko."

Sano frowned. "I really don't get it. If Rei is safe, why do they insist on fighting against us?"

Yahiko picked up book and threw it at his long-time friend. "Listen Rooster head, it's for revenge. Both Enishi and Shishio would like nothing better than to have our severed and bleeding heads on shiny new platters. So far they have just been testing us, the amount of willing helpers they are going to have tomorrow night is staggering."

Soujiro agreed with Yahiko. "It's power. The opening of the Blood Paths could wipe out the human race, something that would change the actual foundations of everything in this world. That's why we have to stop them."

"The Blood Paths are something that have been badly abused in the past," Kenshin softly added. "It's why we cut ourselves off from them."

Yahiko shot a sly look at Aoshi. "Is it really that, or does the reason lie in keeping our women from harm during Mating?"

To say it went down hill from there would be putting it lightly. Yahiko and Sano jumped onto Aoshi like a dog to a bone, both hoping to get the most shots in.

Kenshin wasn't sure what was more amusing, the blush he could feel on Kaoru from here, or the stammering Oniwabanshu leader. Actually Aoshi wasn't really stammering, but it was the closest he had ever seen the Okashira come to an outright blush.

"Sano, leave Aoshi alone." His tone was amused, and held poorly suppressed laughter.  Kenshin was carefully containing his snickers and comments.

Their so-called 'meeting' had fallen apart hours ago, thanks to some well placed bantering on Yahiko and Sano's part.  Come to think of it, his own ribbing hadn't helped the situation a great deal either.

Kenshin had warred with himself for some time over facts that they had already discussed.  How to deal with the rampant Blood Ki, what to do about Yumi, and Enishi's threat to Kaoru were at the forefront of their minds.

All of this had plagued them for many weeks now, and it wasn't going to be solved in a simple moment of brilliance. At least, not a moment like this. If anything came to him it would be on the battlefield, where Ki was running loose and blood permeated the air.

Until then, it was best to give his comrades a night off. He knew there was some unfinished business that needed to be taken care of. Aoshi, for instance, needed to figure out what to say to Misao.

He, in turn, was more than willing to spoil Kaoru on what could be their last night together.

He had no illusions as to what they where heading into tomorrow night.  It was going to be a battle, and as unlikely as it seemed, and as much as they hated to think about it, they could very well lose one of their own.

Kenshin stood, his eyes ringed in the familiar amber, and headed out of the door. "This meeting is falling into shambles. Spend tonight well."

As Kenshin arrived back, his hearing picked up the sounds of full female laughter coming from the kitchen.  Interestingly enough, the same area that Kaoru's Ki was showing immense embarrassment.

Kenshin soundlessly padded down the stairs, his lips pulling into a smile at the whispered words that echoed through the hall. By the sound of it, Misao was making some rather interesting comments.

Kenshin leaned against the door jam, wondering exactly how long it would take the women to notice he was there. Kenshin frowned as a bitter smell wafted his direction, but all thoughts about whatever had caused such a disgrace to cooking fled once he caught sight of Kaoru's face.

She was simply edible when she blushed.

Kaoru turned then and the pale blush that had graced her features darkened in embarrassment when she caught his expression.

"Kenshin!" Kaoru groaned, feeling the heat of her flush. "How long have you been standing there?"

Kenshin offered her a smile. "Not long."

Misao picked herself off the floor. " I though all you brave,strong men where in a meeting discussing the fate of the world."

"Nice of you to notice Misao." Yahiko announce as he brushed by the women, headed for the backset of stairs that lead to his beloved.

"I said men, Yahiko-chan," Misao retorted, "Not little boys."

"Don't call me CHAN!"

Kaoru bit down on a smile, her dancing gaze meeting Kenshin's. St that particular moment he was studying what appeared to be a brutally botched attempt at re-heating something.

"Was that rice?"  Kenshin questioned, turning quizzical orbs to Kaoru.

She flushed again.

"It was an -attempt- at rice." Misao said cheerfully. "But the fortunate part is that the container is disposable, and that the microwave will suffer no lasting harm."

Kaoru shot her a level look. "You're pushing it tonight Misao."

Misao shot a wink at Kenshin. "This is Kaoru's pathetic attempt to get you to cook for her.  I, for one, think its just a big ruse to get out of making meals." Misao snickered at her friend's face but it was abruptly cut off when the container thwacked her.

Kenshin shook his head and moved towards the fridge to look for something simple he could make for the women. Omasu had provided them with several cold trays of sandwich meat but that had been quickly devoured by the bottomless pits otherwise known as Sano and Yahiko.

The amount of chatter in the room only increased when Aoshi entered, followed by his four faithful shadows.  Kenshin shook his head as he measured the rice, wondering if perhaps Misao had stored up years of chatter, on reserve, and thus now possessed the ability to gab incessantly.

Kaoru closed her eyes in an attempt to keep from killing Misao when hr cooking was once again paraded on the table to be ogled over like some now-extinct species.  Just what was so fascinating about badly mutilated cooking, anyway?

Of course she wasted little time in pointed out to her friend that she was the one currently sporting the latest look in botched culinary confections, so who exactly was worse off…the one who destroyed it or the one who wore it?

This of course started a long and drawn out battle of exactly what was worse, and it only ended when Kenshin delivered his peace offerings of (edible) rice and miso.

Misao was the first to finish, declaring that she needed to shower and sleep, even though she had been sleeping all day, and practically danced out of the room. For a person who had gone through such a supposedly traumatic experience, she was hiding it well.

Kaoru allowed the clock's ticking to fill the silence for a few minutes.

"You should talk to her." Kaoru said cheerfully to her rice.

Her rice didn't respond, she had known it wouldn't, but at least she could get her say in this way. "Just because she appears to be happy doesn't mean that she isn't confused and worried underneath it all."

Kaoru kept on eating, neither expecting or wanting an answer, but was content when Aoshi soon left as well.

Kaoru smiled into her rice when Hannya's deep voice murmured his thanks, and simply basked in the easy silence in the Aoiya.

~*~

Soujiro raised his dark brown eyes to the sky and watched the nearly full moon take its place as crowning glory to the rapidly darkening sky. No longer was there the comforting rays of sun to warm the skin, but a cool light that lent little precious light.

They had abandoned the site soon after the attack and had headed back the Aoiya and Kenshin. Misao had slept the entire way back, and Soujiro had been forced to drive as Aoshi looked as if he truly was one of the walking dead.  There had been exhaustion in his face that had startled Soujiro, and no matter how battle weary he was, he would not force Aoshi to strain his already dwindling resources.

Soujiro had caught bits and pieces of the conversation between the female, whose name he now knew was Shura, and the Oniwabanshu. Apparently it wasn't the changing that had exhausted Aoshi, but changing Misao and not binding her to him in the ways of a mate. He had been forced to keep every single last piece of Ki separate from Misao's; a feat that took extensive willpower and control.

Soujiro had felt his respect grow for the silent Vampire. He could have easily bound himself to Misao, something he knew both wanted badly, and the girl would never have complained. It wouldn't have been the special ceremony that someone like Kaoru got to enjoy, but it would have been a binding, all the same.

But Aoshi had allowed her to remain the same, attached and unbound, and for that reason alone Soujiro was ready and willing to forgive anything his past memories evoked against the man. He was allowing Misao to choose a mate on her own, in the end.

When they had arrived back at the Aoiya, the Oniwabanshu had rushed out, it had been several hours later and almost dusk once again almost a full twenty four hours since they had left, and the members who were there had slid to a stop. Then shrieks of joy had permeated the air as the four missing members found themselves tackled to the ground in a loving welcome.

It was close to an hour later and Soujiro found himself struggling to sleep, and so he had decided to spend sometime on the roof in hope of clearing his thoughts. He knew that most of the household was still awake, the Oniwabanshu reintroducing the four newfound members, Kaoru was with Misao, Kenshin and the others were in a meeting.

But the night air was just what he needed to comtemplate the information he had recieved earlier in the evening. Of course, Sano and Yahiko were entertaining, but the simple fact that he was sitting in a room with the most powerful Vampires across Japan was absolutely awe-inspiring.

"Do you prefer privacy or could I have a seat?" A female voice, a soothing croon to his frazzled nerves, questioned him from behind.

Soujiro turned and offered the petite woman a smile. "You may stay if you wish, I would not ask an unwilling conversationalist to talk."

Shura gave him a smile that showed off two well-placed dimples. "Coming from a man who is rather fast, I would say this is a good thing." She dropped down carelessly beside him; "Otherwise you might just disappear on me."

Soujiro flashed her his patented smile, one that gave nothing away but some private acknowledgement.

~*~

Misao hummed to herself, the action more of a habit than anything else, and adjusted the towel she had wrapped around her form as she opened the bathroom door to her room.

Looking around she almost dropped the towel in shock when she realized Aoshi was in the room with her. "Aoshi!" Misao squeaked, tightening her hold on the loosely wrapped cloth.

"Misao." The edges of his lips curled slightly upward in what could be considered a smile, but Misao was not completely fooled. His eyes had darkened with what Misao would only label as lust.

With one hand still clutching the towel she propped the other on her hip. "Aoshi-sama, what are you doing in my room? I was in the shower!"

He did smile then, and Misao reveled in the softening of his cheekbones and in the way it lit his eyes. "I am more than aware of the Misao." He raked his eyes up her towel clad form, and Misao felt a blush creep up her features.

Aoshi, for his part, was content in watching it slowly crawl up her neck, wishing for nothing more than the right to follow its trail with his lips. Blinking, he jerked himself back to the present.

"Tomorrow is the battle." Aoshi started softly, "And as of right now, you have no protection against the call of blood."

Misao frowned darkly at him. "I am more than aware of that Aoshi." Her tone was slightly hurt and Aoshi moved forward in what, for him, could be considered a bold move.

He grasped her left hand and kissed her knuckles. "I know. What I am trying to offer you is a line."

Misao wrinkled her brow at him. "No Zen please, my brain really can't process it right not. If you start spouting about ripples and water and such I am going to hurt you."

Aoshi smiled into the palm of her hand. "What I am wishing to do, Misao-mine, is court you. Not only will it warn the over zealous vampires that you are claimed, but it will offer you some protection against the call of Blood tomorrow."

Misao peered up at him through long lashes, looking terribly vulnerable. "You aren't saying this just because you're overprotective Aoshi, because if you are…"

His smooth lips silenced any impending protest and Misao found herself pulled flush against his hard chest, her fingers desperately clutching at the towel while the other hand buried itself in his hair.

"No." Aoshi told her gently, and for a split second Misao caught a hint of humor in his dark gaze. "That would cause some bad ripples in my spiritual awareness."

Misao playfully smacked his chest. "Aoshi! When did you develop a sense of humor?"

Aoshi just smiled. "So, Misao-mine, do you accept my offer of courtship?"

Misao nodded slowly, her eyes still confused. "But why courtship Aoshi?  You know I would say yes even to a bonding with you!"

Aoshi gently traced her jaw before tweaking her nose. "Because when I Mate you, and do not doubt me Misao I will mate you, I want it to be special, not something rushed because of the risk of blood. You are strong, and my Ki will help you be stronger. We can trust in that for now."

Misao nodded. "Alright then." Grinning, she reached up and brought him down for another kiss. Misao melted into his frame and pouted when he pulled back, her eyes widening when his lips fell to her throat as his long fingered hand grasped her wrist.

Aoshi pulled back and gently traced the patterns of pale blue under her skin, his fangs pushing at his gums in anticipation of her blood. Unable to help himself he brushed the area with his lips, then traced it with his tongue, and then with a contented sigh, bit into her pale skin. Tougher than a human's, it was tinged with a slight spice, and her blood spilled and pooled into his mouth with something akin to eagerness.

Aoshi greedily suckled, aware of the surging Ki moving through and around the bite, he was also acutely aware of the soft moan that fell from Misao's lips, and was rewarded with another mewling purr when his tongue lapped at the punctures.

Pulling back, Aoshi stood and stared into her slightly dazed eyes, making a point to lick his lips slowly, lazily observing the hungry way Misao  studied his action. Reaching down, he kissed her hard.

Ending the kiss, he steadied her as she swayed before brushing a loose strand of dark hair away from her bright eyes. "Get some clothes on Misao-mine, before I am tempted beyond my control. I will be back soon so you had best get something shapeless and baggy if you have it."

Misao nodded her head, her expression once again confused. "Be back?"

He leaned forward until her nose gently brushed his. "You share a futon with me now, in my room."

Misao felt her jaw dropped and once she was sure he was gone, let out a squeal of happiness. Falling back against her own futon she sighed dreamily as her fingers traced the healing punctures. "I'm Aoshi's and I get to sleep with his arms around me!" Her smile widened. "The only thing better is going to be seeing ALL of him!"

"You're mine now, Aoshi-sama," Misao whispered to herself, "And you are NEVER getting away!"

~*~

Sano gently brushed his wife's hair, something he had taken to doing within the first few weeks of their marriage. It was a well-loved tradition, to feel the silky locks fall from his hands and to watch the gentle way it cascaded through the brush.

"I love your hair." Sano whispered to his drowsy wife, aware of the way her head tilted forward. "I love the feeling of it in my hands, and the way it passes through my fingers."

Megumi turned at that. "And what brought this on?" Her cinnamon eyes where curious.

Sano shrugged. "I know I don't tell you enough Meguitsune, but I thought I might as well."

Megumi leaned forward and lightly kissed his lips. "And I love your gravity defying hair as well, my Rooster head." As if to prove her point she reached up and gently tugged on his bangs.

Sano lightly growled and tackled her into the pillows, for he was a man of action, if not words.

~*~

Yahiko located his wife by the glowing from under a crack in the wall. Walking in, he watched as Tsubame carefully mended a microscopic tear.

"Come to bed Tsubame." Yahiko encourage gently, aware of the tentative hold his caring wife had on her emotions. It was beyond him what to do to care for her, they had not been mated during the last major battle, and light skirmishes were something he and the others could handle in there sleep.

Tsubame raised shining eyes to his and gave him a wistful smile. "I just wanted to make sure that you had clean clothes."

Yahiko decided it would be best to not mention that fact that she was most likely going to have to simply throw away whatever clothing he wore tomorrow anyway.

Walking over, he disentangled his wife from the clothes pile and brought her to his side. Gently, he traced the dark circles under her eyes with his fingertip and sighed. "You worry too much, Koishii."

Tsubame threw herself into his arms, her small shoulders heaving. "Come back to me?" Tsubame was one of the women who would be staying, she and Megumi would be needed to treat the wounded as they did not excel on the battle field.

Yahiko tilted her chin and gently kissed away her tears. "Always."

~*~

Kaoru wasn't sure what she loved more, the smell of Kenshin's skin or the feel of his arms wrapped around her. It was a sappy moment that only she could come up with, as she was sure Misao would find something completely idiotic to think about while wrapped in Aoshi's arms....such as how much chocolate the man ate.

"We might lose." It was directed in the vicinity of his throat, and when his arms tightened around her she lost the fear that he had been asleep.

"We could."

"Will we?"

Kenshin sighed into her hair, enjoying the faint jasmine sent. He could think of a few more enjoyable things they could be doing instead of talking about possible death. Just the thought of losing her again was enough to cause alit his nerves.

Rolling over, he pinned her slight frame under his, amber-veined gaze boring into hers. "I will not lose you again, Koishii."

Kaoru raised a trembling hand to his face and traced his scar gently. "But what if I lose you?"

Kenshin turned his head and kissed her palm. "You won't, I promise. I have never broken a promise to you before and I won't break this one either." He nuzzled her fingers desperately.

Kaoru sighed and wrapped her arms around his neck, the constant worry in her mind put on hold with his touch. Tomorrow was tomorrow and for tonight there was just Kenshin.

~*~

Kamatari laughed to himself as he finished going over the plans for tomorrow.

"Just wait Yumi, if everything goes correctly then I will rule the world by Lord Shishio's side and Kenshin Himura will be no more."

His brown eyes glittered with both hate and longing.

A special note: To akasha_death and Shobhana from Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia. You guys rock and I hope that this chapter meets each and everyone of your approval. 


	15. Chapter Fifteen

First, I must prostrate myself on the ground and beg for forgiveness. The lateness of my updates lately has been extremely tiring and I must take all the blame. Leave my beta out of it! Unfortunately, the chapters will now be unedited since Pia's comp decided that non functional is good. 

Secondly, the last two chapters will hopefully be out as soon as I write them. I have not yet started on the next chapter of BD as thanks to massive amount of homework and irritation on how to end this story. I know where I want it to go…the thing just won't go there. 

Now to thank all of those who have reviewed and waited patiently. I am sorry that I have not had time to respond to all my reviews, but because the number of blessed people who have reviewed, you guys make it impossible. 

Side note: I plan on having the next chapter of Blood Dawn out in around two weeks. 

Shameless plug: Amber Linings has also been updated for those of you who want a darker story to read.

Ravyn

To answer some questions!

Blood Path is where the Vampire looses control of his Ki after a century of build up of hate. It's the earth's way of letting loose of the hate, death, and evil that has built up. It's activated by the moon every century. 

A male vampire can control the mating instincts, and it's only a danger if the person if female. Most males do not change other males (unless it's a male/male relationship) instead leaving it to a female. Most humans are not changed unless they are wanted for a mate, so most likely it will be a female that changes the male.

Kaoru sat at the dinner table, the place where all of her past problems seem to have started and ended, and rolled her sore shoulders. Kenshin had given her a light work out that morning and then had handed her a Katana. 

She hated Katanas.

Apparently, this did not seem to waver her amber eyed mate in fact it seemed to solidify the fact that she had to carry one. He had promised her, however, that once this was all over that she could carry his reversed-blade. 

The simple fact that the man still had it, that he thought she was going to carry it, and that he did so with that careless manner told her that her lover had forgotten a few things about her temperament. It was extremely frustrating. If he thought that his position as her mate was going to keep him out of the frying pan, well then he was in store for quite a few bumps and bruises. 

Kaoru allowed a playful smirk to cross her lips as she remembered Misao's comment from earlier. The make-up sex would indeed be great, but she would never openly agree with Misao where Kenshin could hear her. 

"That, my dear Kaoru-dono, is a leer." Misao mused as she walked in, the dono of her statement causing Kaoru to snap out of her daydream.

"Dono?" Kaoru questioned her eyes darkening to a dark navy in irritation. Her past lifetime colored the future when it came to that word, the hatred for the suffix of –dono had spread over more than one lifetime. 

Misao tossed her an amused glance as she poured herself a glass of orange juice. "Well that is something you and I have both carelessly forgotten. Kenshin is the 'Prince' of Vampires, so maybe I should call you Kaoru-hime."

The frown on Kaoru's face was dark enough to send Misao into peels of laughter.

Kaoru scowled darkly watching the sun sink even lower on the horizon. There was maybe three hours left of solid sunshine. Come nightfall the streets of Kyoto would irrupt into blood shed.

 Misao leaned over and watched as the citizens of Kyoto all moved around quickly, some fore sense telling them of the danger that was slowly threading through the air. 

"Well if this isn't a flashback to the olden days." Misao mused. "Once again in the Aioya preparing to fight bad guys that are going to go crazy with sharp objects and destroy the world as we know it if we don't step in."

Kaoru tossed her an amused glance. "We where dead the last time they killed Shishio!"

"You can't tell me that I wasn't there is spirit protecting my Aoshi! I had not been dead long and I had not been reborn…I could have the ghost of the Aioya! Besides, to you really think Shishio is the only person the Oniwabanshu dealt with. I distinctly remember two or three occasions when I was alive that we took on rival Ninja groups"

Kaoru stood there blinking before she reached for the sandwiches she had made earlier. Even Kenshin agreed that cold turkey with all the fixings was one thing she never messed up. Kaoru eyed Misao and slowly backed out of the kitchen. Misao talking about the Oniwabanshu was all right, Misao talking about being a ghost as she stalked Aoshi…that was something completely different. 

Misao nodded to herself, her eyes thoughtful, "Can't you see it? Haunting all my favorite spots and causing mayhem…Aoshi feeling me in sprit as he drank his tea."

Kaoru trudged up the stairs, knowing Kenshin was alone and probably cleaning all of his weapons. Kaoru had discovered that Kenshin was not only skilled with a sword. She had been heading to the underground firing range and walked in on Kenshin firing several variations of guns repeatedly at a target. 

When he had pulled the target back in, there had been a single hole in the dead center of the bulls' eye. Kaoru had quietly mused to herself after that, for it really was no surprise to her that Kenshin was proficient in all manners of killing. After that, if Kenshin suddenly pulled a rocket launcher out of thin air and fired it she would most likely just comment on his aim. 

It was because of his proficiency with his sword that she always pictured him carrying one, but it appeared that he had just developed his natural skill with weaponry as they developed over time.  

The Battousai would never allow himself to fall behind in the matters of combat. Kaoru snorted to herself as she nudged the door open herself. Balancing the tray she blinked at the sheer amount of explosives, weaponry, semi automatics, and several crude looking devices that looked like they would really do damage to the human body if they were used properly. 

"Kenshin?" Kaoru asked as she found an empty surface to set the plat on. "Slightly obsessive?" She gingerly picked up one of the unidentifiable objects with a touch of asperity. 

He walked in with a towel wrapped around his shoulders, his hair a thick curtain of damp strands, simply clad in a pair of dark blue sweats. "No. Just a few things I have picked up over the years."

Kaoru, after setting down the odd object, picked up a grenade with an ease that promised experience, and raised a brow. "A few things? Where exactly do you plan on putting all of this stuff when you fight?" Her lover was only so tall and generally did not have many pockets to place things. 

Kenshin shook his head. "I don't plan on much of any of it. I am sticking to my Katana and only a few other surprises. If you see anything here, you want Koishii feel free to use it. But you are taking that Katana with you."

Kaoru nodded absently, her mind going over the possible uses for some of the equipment. Some of it looked like it belonged in a bad horror movie, or old Chinese hospital, but the rest of it had promise. 

Especially when in the hands of someone as creative as Misao.

Kaoru felt Kenshin gently press her shoulders back, his long fingers gently pressing into the tense muscles. "You're to tense Koishii." 

Kaoru laughed lightly. "It could be that lovely beating you gave me this morning." On the other hand, it could be the fact that where only a few more hours before they where once again fighting for there lives. 

Kaoru felt more than saw his smile. Suddenly his hands stilled and she heard him sigh and she knew the conversation she had been expecting for days was coming."

"Kaoru," Kenshin murmured his tone quite. There was reluctance in his voice that told Kaoru all she needed to know.

"No Kenshin." Kaoru told him firmly. "I am not staying here and hiding like a child." Years of reading the Rurouni came to fore as she knew that he was going to be stubborn about it, but she was simple not staying. 

Kenshin sighed in frustration. "Kaoru I have already lost you once."

Kaoru stood and placed her hands on his shoulders. She met his burning gaze with her own furious one and shook her head. "No."

Kenshin sighed in defeat. Kaoru had learned how to be even more stubborn in this lifetime than she had in the last. He had known from the beginning that keeping Kaoru out of this was going to be a slim chance, but he had to at least to try.

Kenshin reached up and cupped her face with his hand. "Please be careful?"

Kaoru allowed a smile to grace her lips. "I promise to be as careful as you are!"

Kenshin groaned at those words, knowing that Kaoru would see anything risky he did as an invitation to follow suite. 

"You had best get something else on, love, because it's about time for that meeting you talked about earlier to being." Kaoru gently reminded him before she grabbed a bag and thoughtfully began to fill it with some of the more,…explosive weapons he had found himself picking up over the years. 

The tray of sandwiches where forgotten as they quickly moved around the room in preparation for that night. 

~*~

Sano and Megumi slipped in and closed the door behind them as normal they were the last ones to arrive. Delayed either from Megumi's need to catalogue a few more supplies or Sano's extreme laziness simply slowing them down.

They where all dressed comfortably in dark clothing, but in a fight where Ki was going to be running high such things as invisibility was going to be hard to achieve in the best of circumstances. It was simply a preference to not be seen until they had to be. 

Once everyone was seated, they sat simply sat there before Kenshin's voice broke through the silence.

"Thanks to the Oniwabanshu's efforts we have managed to pin point the location that Enishi has been moving his troops into hiding at."

"Not that it was that hard." Okon admitted. "They pretty much had a 'come and get us' sign posted outside of the compound. They are really not putting a lot of effort into concealing themselves from anyone but humans."

Kenshin nodded his head in agreement. "True. It really is a mute point." His smoky amber gaze circled the room. "We know the place, a series of abandoned warehouses, we know when. We know that after midnight, Shishio is going to have perhaps fifteen minutes to aid in the fight, and we all know the danger of this meeting. We all know that they are in it for revenge and that makes the most dangerous enemy."

The memory of the past was something stark, clear and very much a part of their still bruised emotions. 

Sano spoke up next. "Enishi is most likely going to stick close to Shishio; the others, the Juppongatana who have not decided to change sides, are going to branch out and handle those who come in to spoil the fun."

Aoshi leaned forward next, this hands folding to support his chin while his elbows where placed on his thigh's, "We are going to have to split up to even out our own power." His eyes flicked to Misao in concerned manner.

"Teams?" Shura's voice questioned lightly. "Are we going to go with what we are used to or are you going to put us with people we are not used to working with?"

"You will be working with people who you are familiar with." Kenshin replied. "I don't want you all to worry about whom and what your partners are doing."

Everyone sighed; some in relief while other realized what this meant and sighed in agitation.

"Soujiro will come with me," Kenshin said flatly. "As will Aoshi, we are going to be the spear head that is going to take on Enishi, Shishio, and whatever tricks Yumi decides to play with." It was an unspoken acknowledgment that Yumi was the wildcard and perhaps, because of this, the most dangerous. 

Kaoru bit her lip hard, but realized that if she fought with Kenshin he would worry more about her than his own safety and with two opponents with the strength of Enishi and Shishio he could be hard pressed to keep himself alive. Besides the hate between Yumi and Kaoru was something that could work against them, giving Yumi something else to fuel her dark powers.  

"Kaoru," Soujiro told her, his voice soft with understanding and a promise to watch her lover's back, " You and Misao will watch the East side. Fewer Vampires have accumulated there but there are some nasty things creeping around that you two have seen before."

Vampires, Zombies, and several of their pets then; both women knew what creatures they put together, the half-dead beasts created from dissected animal parts, beasts that they had fought before. 

Things that go bump in the night normally really did go bump; when they brought in something new to snack on that was. 

"Shura, you and the remaining Oniwabanshu will keep your eyes on the west half of the warehouses, as you all have the most experience with dealing with Zombies enraged to the point of the blood paths." Something that was rare and only happened near or during the Blood Moon.

In other words, the three most likely to tear them apart were busy so would you please keep them off our backs. 

With the Blood Moon rising over Tokyo, hidden still by the days feeble rays, it was important to keep Vampires, Zombies and Werewolves separated as there need for dominance would grow and in-group fighting was something that was going to be avoided. Hence the reason they could divide there own specialists into groups depending on there skills.

"Sano, Yahiko, and later Saitoh," A low groan from Sano's corner was silence by Megumi's hiss, "Will be towards the north. You will need the wolf's help tonight Sano'," Kenshin rebuked, "And he is more than willing."

Sano crossed his arms and glared at the man. "You are just saying that because you do not have to work with him. And the only thing he is willing to do is annoy me."

Kenshin tossed him an amber-eyed smirk. "You are giving yourself too much credit. I believe his comment was something along the lines of 'picking up after that raccoon and weasel who do not know their place.'

"What?" Misao and Kaoru growled, there own eyes flashing with an anger that Saitoh would later have to deal with. 

"When are you leaving?" Tsubame questioned lightly, but there was a growing worry in her eyes that belayed the point. 

"As soon as it gets dark enough to move quietly," Aoshi responded gently. It was unspoken that they wanted to give the citizens time to clear the streets, and since the last market shop closed at 9:30 this night, they would be moving as soon as the streets cleared. 

Karou pursed her lips. "What are we going to do about the Blood Amulets?"

Kenshin smiled slightly, his fangs already hinted at with the faint glistening of his teeth, "Megumi has discovered that the use of some blessed bullets crashing into them destroys them well enough, which is why Yahiko is going with Sano to fight them. He has the best eye."

Megumi smirked slightly, but her gaze promised that she would not tell anyone the reason of her discover or the circumstances that she discovered them.

"Good." Kaoru muttered, "Because the Blood Amulets are going to make them so much stronger tonight. The usual amplification because far worse on an actual full moon." She tossed Yahiko a comforting look, the young man did have the skill and eye that it would take. 

Yahiko nodded and gently squeezed Tsubame's tight grip in a silent promise to be careful. In order to take clear shots, as he assumed his ammunition was going to be limited; he would have to be still, which meant he would an easy target, which was most likely Saitoh was going with them.

"Communication is going to be limited to the ranges of your group's mental reach. Every group has someone who can either receive or send long distance and they will be the focal point of the messages that are going to be going out." Kenshin's eyes burned into Kaoru's, and she had the faint feeling that Kenshin would be able to hear her wherever she was. 

It was comforting, in a small way, but also terrifying because if she let something slip through her mental shields, then he could be distracted. 

Everyone nodded and there was more silence, as everyone thought about exactly what was said, and more importantly, what had not been said. 

They might not all come back.

Aoshi cleared his throat. "The Tokyo Oniwabanshu will be helping as well, fighting along the streets, as will the rest of Soujiro and Saitoh's defense force. They are likely to have the most casualties, as they will be fighting rouges. Once your area is cleared, it will be best to help them. We shall also be receiving support from various squadrons of police."

Because the main fighting, the one that really counted, would be done where no one could see it. The real burden stood on Kenshin, Soujiro, and Aoshi's shoulders, it would be their swords that either carved a path to peace or shattered with the ending of it all; of everything they had worked for.

Kenshin dismissed them soon afterward, once all the minuet questions had been answered, and everyone disappeared. 

Kaoru walked over to Kenshin and wrapped herself around in him in a hug. His arms where tight around her, his Ki settling around her in a comforting hold, "Let's go to the roof for a while shall we Koishii?"

Kaoru nodded, willing to watch the Sunset with him. 

The climb up silently, Kenshin no longer having to fear for her footing, but his eyes watching her steps carefully in an unneeded precaution. Kenshin pulled her into his lap once they found the same alcove where they had bound their fates together. 

"Promise me," Kaoru whispered against his throat. 

"What?" Kenshin questioned, knowing that no matter what she asked he would be unable to deny her. 

"When this is over, promise me that we can go back to Tokyo. Together. Promise me that you will come back, that I will not have to live without you. It's selfish, and it probably wrong, but please don't take any unnecessary risks."  
  


"I promise."

"What up with the melancholy shit?" Sano's voice rang with a hint of amusement and irritation in his voice from where he stood with Megumi wrapped in his arms.   
  


Kaoru turned with a glare and noted with amusement that Megumi had already swatted him. 

"Come on Busu, we are going to win this!" Yahiko crowed, his eyes lighting up the same as they had at the age twelve. Tsubame was shooting Megumi an exasperated look, both women rolling there eyes at there respected lovers words and attitude. 

"You heard them." Misao boomed, her eyes dancing with an adrenaline surge. "We can't loose, not this time!"

Kaoru shook her head and rested her head on Kenshin's shoulder, hearing the faint argument between Misao and Sano, something about the best weapon for slaughtering the enemy, but choosing instead to watch the sun give its last winking light, wrapped around the single solid presence in her life. 

~*~

"I swear to everything holy, "Misao hissed faintly; her eyes large, "That if a single spider crawls over any part of my skin I am screaming; be damned the noise or the attention it attracts."

Kaoru rolled her eyes as she and Misao skimmed along the dusty walls, her nose wrinkling. "You would think Enishi would have this place cleaned better." Her face showed her disgust, if anything she was a neat freak, if nothing else slightly obsessive over the state of cleanliness in the area around her. 

"Why the hell would something that filthy bother with cleaning anyway?" Misao muttered. "He is the scum on my boots, which means that he needs everything around him to be scummy, so he can feel like he lords over everything. He has to have the largest ego I have ever seen."

Kaoru cringed when her fingers brushed something slimy. "This is just gross; when this is over I am going to need a vat of bleach and a good scrub brush."

Misao groaned in agreement, her boot making a faint scuffling noise as she attempted to remove what appeared to be spit-out-gum, but even with her new sense of night vision, it was hard to tell what the substance was.

"What time is it?" Misao muttered darkly, her eyes roaming the dark area. 

"Fifteen till." Kaoru mummered, her fingers playing with the hilt to her Katana in a nervous action, they had been dodging Vampires for about a half of an hour and she was starting to get edgy. 

'Are you in place?' It was Kenshin's dark mental voice and Kaoru sighed in relief to hear it, it meant that so far, he was alive and that was something she could hang onto. 

'Yes.'

She felt the satisfaction and sighed when he broke the contact. "Kenshin is getting everyone into place." Kaoru warned. Kenshin, Aoshi, and Soujiro where pretty much going to stir things up and it was up to the rest of the group to kill off the leftovers. 

The blender method, according to Misao; the plan was like a blender without its lid on, since Kenshin, Aoshi, and Soujiro where the blades and the vampires, werewolves, and zombies where the fruit and midnight was the go button.  

Kaoru frowned as she looked up at the moon, shinning with its normal eerie paleness, but now she could feel the dark Ki it was giving off, or simply activating. It was dark, slimy and Kaoru was very much aware of Kenshin's dark hold on her own Ki, and the shield it made deflecting the clinging, inky stuff. 

Misao shivered next to her, swatting at the invisible stuff, Aoshi's Ki taking the edge of the darker goo, but Misao still looked uncomfortable and Kaoru worried about her sanity once they did start fighting. Misao had complained earlier that it was like being attacked by an invisible cloud of mosquitoes…each to her own. 

Kaoru looked at her wristwatch and sighed. 

Five minutes and counting, and suddenly the light seemed to be so much fainter. 

~*~

Sano sighed, being stuck next Saitoh was not something he particularly enjoyed, but he took some measure of thankfulness that the man was not born as a vampire. There was no way for him to access the Blood Ki, which was a relief to the older man. He was sure that if Saitoh had access to it, he would have used it. 

Yahiko was tense beside him, his favored gun clenched firmly in his hands, the 'holy bullets' as they had been dubbed, loaded and more ready to go. 

"Make sure," Saitoh suddenly said as he unsheathed his Katana, his voice dark. "That you do not get in the way of my sword Rooster-head."

Sano growled quietly but quieted when Yahiko softly told them that Kenshin was getting everyone ready and to shut up. 

Betrayed.

T-minus four minutes, and Sano cracked his knuckles in anticipation that got him rolled eyes from both Yahiko and Saitoh. 

~*~

Shura watched the movements that those creatures around her had been making, watched as they clumsily moved, there half-formed bodies trembling with the excess power that was now flooding there bodies.

Zombies.

Disgusting creatures. 

She met Hannya's cool green eyes and nodded her head, and watched, as his gaze became slightly unfocused as he responded to Himura's mental question.

Three minutes until the world went boom. Shura sighed and wished, not for the first time, for her boat and the open seas. Perhaps when this was over she could drag that cute brown-eyed boy with her to the ends of the world. 

Shura smiled, her lips twisted into a shark's smirk, and waited patiently her numb chucks clenched tightly in her fists. 

~*~

Kenshin nodded at Aoshi and Soujiro, letting them know silently that everyone was in position.

Soujiro checked his watch as the final minutes ticked down. They had managed to find their way into the main building, thanks to Aoshi's ability to find unnoticeable paths, and where watching as Enishi prepared what appeared to be an altar.

Soujiro looked at his watched and cursed the fact that they are where perhaps two minutes left. They had deliberately not told the women about this part of the ceremony, knowing that it would disturb them and give them the desire to fight here instead of where they were needed. 

 A woman was brought out and Soujiro frowned at Kenshin's curse, knowing that something was not going according to what they had originally hoped. 

Soujiro, turning to watch, recognized the eyes of the woman, but instead of green, they where dark brown; but still held the same wide doe eyed look as Rei's. Soujiro was putting money on her being a sister to Rei, but it did not matter.

If the mother's death had bought Shishio fifteen minutes, he hated to think what a sister to Rei would add onto that limited amount of time. This woman may have not been a hybrid but she still shared the power in the child, the power that caused this Blood Moon to pulse so violently. 

The longer Shishio stood in the Blood Moon's rays, the more power he could buy himself, possibly brining himself back into this world forever.

Reopening the Blood Paths, something they could not let happen. For if that happened then it would cause this world to be ravaged by those who cared little for the destruction of the human race. 

Soujiro felt Kenshin move, and he felt his own feet throw him into the fray right behind him. They could not let that happen, for they had promises to keep. 

Thirty seconds.

~*~

Kaoru was not sure where they had come from, how they had found them, or exactly what was going on. All she knew was Misao had given her a firm push forward and the next her Katana had been pulled free by her own hand.

Now they where surrounded. 

Shifting forward she settled into a familiar stance, and began to go through the movements Kenshin had beat into her the past few days, her muscles quick to recall the movements even if her own brain was struggling to grasp what was going on. 

It all stopped when her sword crashed into a scythe and she met a pair of brown eyes glittering angrily at her from the single loveliest face she had ever seen on a man or women. 

Eyes that hated her, eyes that told her of her own death. Eyes that somehow showed her more pain than she thought possible. 

"Kamatari," Kaoru mummered, remembering the warning Kenshin had given her, of the man/woman whom fought with great skill and whose obsession with Shishio knew no borders. A cross-dressing figure that crossed borders and wielded power in a desperation to obtain something that had for a very long time been denied to him. 

Of his need to possess all that Yumi claimed as her own, a fire-eyed man who was covered in bandages and who could inspire loyalty in the same easy manner that Kenshin did. 

"So, you are the girl/child that has caused me so much trouble." Kamatari responded, his eyes glittering in an almost insane manner. 

Kaoru raised her chin, feeling Misao behind her as they faced both demon and his hell. "Yes. But I am no longer a child."

Kamatari allowed a smirk to twist his full lips. "Then I suggest you prepare yourself Himura Kaoru, because you are going to loose all that you hold most dear, and I shall give your dead body to my Shishio-sama," Misao gave a disgusted groan at the use of her word for Aoshi being applied to Shishio. "Everything that he has ever desired and needed."

He appeared to be talking to himself for a moment. "Everything that that bitch Yumi has not been able to give him, he will love me and leave her," Giving a high-pitched laugh he smiled insanely. "You will die Himura."

Kaoru shifted her stance and held her sword ready, and she was not sure which Himura he was talking about since he had called her Himura Kaoru, but his last words caused her eyes to slit in anger. "Not today."

~*~

"We won't let you kill her." Soujiro hissed, his blade locked hard with Enishi's, his brain not quite registering why or how he was in this position. He could recall the tingling vibration of the air, could recall Shishio's mocking laugh and Yumi's horrified gasp as she laid eyes on him.

He could remember his own determination, but he was still not sure how he and Enishi had managed to be caught up in a sword fight, unsure why he was the one dealing with Kenshin's insane brother-in-law.

"So far," Enishi told him scathingly, "All I see is a little boy trying to do too much."

Soujiro felt his smile slip into place, his emotions turn inward and disappear, and felt the others man's surprise. Himura Kenshin was not the only fighter who needed emotion to fight off of, and so far, only Kenshin had been able to crack his armor. This insane vampire with his crazed eyes glazed over with Blood Lust, half-hidden by glasses, and bleached out hair, was not going to come close to discovering the small cut in his emotional armor. 

"We shall see." Soujiro told him as he sheathed his sword and fell into a battle stance. "Come; let's see who the better swordsman is and who deserves to claim revenge."

Kenshin starred down at Shishio, both men's Ki growing in shadow and hate as they eyed the one whom taken away what they most craved.

Freedom.

Kaoru.

Kenshin felt his eyes turn molten, his Ki flaring in a rage so dark it was difficult to see, much less react. "Makoto Shishio." The man who had stolen his happiness once. 

"Himura the Battousai," He responded darkly. "I grow tired of your interference." He starred at the man who had stolen his freedom, his right to rule the Vampire world, starred at him; hated, feeling the dark Ki of the Blood Moon sing through his veins. 

Kenshin narrowed his gaze and welcomed the sweet strength of his anger, balanced by the razor sharp control of the Rurouni. The Blood Ki could not hold him as long as he concentrated on why he was fighting, and he could feel the blue touch of Kaoru's Ki, her own fire burning away the sludgy touch of Blood Ki.

"And I grow tired of your constant threat on my family." His tone was dark and frozen, silky chocolate that was dangerously angered. 

Shishio unsheathed his sword, fire spiraling from the tip, and his bandaged face smirked. "Then let us settle this, this battle shall be the end of everything we have fought for."

Yumi glared at the man in front of her. "Who would have thought all that inner peace would come in handy, Shinomori. But I cannot let you win this, it means too much to Shishio."

Aoshi simply shrugged, his Kodachi still sheathed. "I will not let you interfere Yumi. I have fought your kind before, and you are no match for my will."

Yumi raised her chin, her wine colored eyes flashing. "I will not be stopped."

Their Ki clashed in a fierce battle of wills, both using the knowledge gained after centuries of seeking.

~*~

Yahiko was not sure which was harder to beat, the difficulty of the shot or the annoyance of attempting to block out the dark banter between Sano and Saitoh. 

It would not have been so bad if he did not have to rely on his life, his aim, and his dodging skills. If those did not shut up, he might risk a bullet and shoot one of them instead.

"Will you two shut up?" Yahiko growled his voice going completely ignored. 

There where days when he really wished for a muzzle, perhaps if he had one then he could shut up at least one half of the arguing.  

Firing again, he ducked and rolled, cursing when he missed, praying that Saitoh's style would protect him long enough to get another off. He did not really trust Sano at this point to be worried about his life, but Saitoh at least would keep one eye on the enemy, even if it was just so he could rub it in later. 

Yahiko groaned at a particularly stupid comment that Sano tossed forward and hoped that Saitoh did not decide that Sano's annoying and stupid taunts where evil enough to silence for good.

Only ten more minutes, if everything went to plan, and if they managed to keep Yumi from killing the woman. 

Only ten. 


	16. Chapter Sixteen

Ha! And another chapter out! Unfortunately this is going to be the last chapter for the next few months. Luckily all I have to worry about is the Epilogue. The reason I won't be able to update this summer is because of the job I took. A summer camp that is going to dominate all my time, and I will have limited computer access and no time for writing. Suck, but if I want my new laptop for school next fall, I need funds.

And when you live out in the sticks like I do…jobs are limited.

I will be updating end of August, first part of September. Both Blood Dawn and Amber Linings will hopefully get updates in this time period. I apologize and beg for forgiveness, but I am sick and tired of my crack producing computer.

Plus Mom and Dad said get job if I want to have money, period.

So I hope all of you enjoy this chapter. Once again, my apologies for the lack of updating this summer; I might be able to have time for a short story or two but that is all.

Ravyn

Remember, I don't own Kenshin or any of his adorable friends. See the part were I don't have money?

Rain also has note! (Big thanks to both Rain and Pia! Love you two! Best Beta-readers in the world!)

Beta Note:  
  
My apologies for the slow update. points accusing finger at her computer "It" was suffering from constipation. . Neways...I wanna throw a lil thank you for the two people who gave me a thumbs up in the reviews. Thank you animeprincezz and Malik Fan 03 !!! Your notes did not go unnoticed, and I am so very grateful for your...er...gratitude (I know...how repetitive) ;;; But yes. Thank you so much!

Kaoru moved fluidly, briefly wondering if the pounding of her heart was in time with the movements of her watch. The near silent ticking was thundering through her sensitive ears, leaving her to wish she had left it at home.

_Tick._

_Thump._

_Tick._

_Thump._

_Tick_.

Panting, she sought Misao's erratic Ki by moving her own through the thickened air. Both sweat and blood filled her senses. Misao's was fluctuating, fighting both her hate and need of the blood Ki rampaging through the air, Kaoru desperately wondered how much longer they had before it sank into everything and nothing.

_'Daddy, when you grow old will you have gray hair?' Kaoru questioned her ice cream melting as she paused from licking the cone. Bright, youthful eyes surveyed her father's movements, as if sensing his amusement and wondering at it._

_Kaoru was only seven, but she was an observant seven._

_"And what, Kaoru-chan, brings you to ask such a question?"_

_Kaoru hurriedly swiped at the dripping cone with her pink tongue, attempting to keep the ice cream in place. "Mommy didn't have gray hair. The teacher said that all old people have gray hair and then someone, I don't remember who, said that only old people die. If you're going to die then I don't want you to grow old and have gray hair!"_

_Her father -her big, wonderful father- scooped her up. Kaoru laughed, she loved flying and her daddy was so close to the sky. "My Kaoru-chan, everyone dies. It is the way of things. Our lives are marked with the passage of time."_

_Kaoru wrinkled her nose. "You mean like a clock?"_

_She ducked when her father playfully tapped her nose. "That is one way of putting it."_

_Frowning, the little girl watched a large clock tick on the side of the building they passed. "I hate clocks."_

Kaoru ducked under the Katana that had been heading for her neck and twisted, using the opportunity to slash through the defenses before her. Kaoru paused as she realized that the group of crazed creatures circled her and Misao. They had managed to cut through a good two-thirds of those who they had first fought but Kaoru was just waiting for them to start putting themselves back together.

It was utterly disgusting the way their dismembered limbs would inch back towards each other and then knit back into the proper place.

Hearing what sounded like labored breathing; it took a moment for Kaoru to realize that the panting was coming from her.

"You fight well Himura. But that will not aid you in a moment." Kamatari whispered, his beautiful eyes glinting with rage.

"Totally-" Misao panted, her voice muffled by the great gulps of air she was taking, "Unfair that he calls you Himura. When are the bad guys going to refer to me as Shinomori?"

Kaoru allowed herself a faint grin. The mental image of Misao with a trench coat and two Kodachi as long as she was tall being waved around would have sent her into a fit of giggles had she any air left to laugh with.

Kamatari crowed with cruel amusement. "You are a disgrace to Shinomori. I am more beautiful and lady-like than you could ever hope to be!"

Misao froze and gaped at him in flabbergasted disbelief. "You're a GUY! You can't be more lady-like than I am! You… have JUNK!"

Kamatari laughed and shifted his stance. "Come little girl, you are no match for me. First I will destroy you and then I shall take on my real opponent."

Kaoru watched the particular glint that spoke of trouble entire her friend's eyes. Kamatari, it seemed, had pushed one button too many, in her small friend's opinion. You just didn't mess with her Aoshi-sama or contradict how she saw herself.

Kaoru had been watching Kamatari closely, and noted the half crazed gleam in the man's eyes. Kaoru vaguely wondered what Kenshin had done to this man in the past life for him to stoop to childishly insulting his opponents when trying to kill them.

Especially the insults he and Misao seemed to delight in hurling at each other when in a verbal spar.

"Kaoru," Misao murmured, her green-blue gaze snapping. "The target?"

"This," Kamatari snapped, "is utterly ridiculous. I shall kill you both and rid myself of this problem. Prepare to die! Nothing shall stand in the path of Shishio-sama!"

"The target." Kaoru agreed, ignoring Kamatari's attempt to look threatening -and ridiculously pose- and tilted her head at her friend in question.

Distracting Kamatari was important if they where going to pull this off.

Misao' clearly blatant wink was the only response she got.

Shifting, Kaoru hacked into the bodies of the walking dead in an attempt to put as much room between her and Misao's carefully planted explosives as possible.

'Now', Misao whispered into Kaoru's mind. Concentrating on the trigger points she could feel, Kaoru, in a move she had not quite perfected with Kenshin, pulled.

Moreover, before she felt the world shift, her last thought was she -hoped- Kenshin didn't get angry with her.

The world went awash in white hot light and howling bodies.

* * *

Kenshin skidded to stop as he faced off against Shishio. The man's form had lost none of its speed nor any of its fire. His eyes, though, they were different.

They were eyes of a man who had lost his freedom and once he had tasted it, had no desire to give it back. However, Kenshin had no desire to lose everything he had just spent the last hundred or so years fighting to regain.

Kaoru was in his arms, in his home, his mate, and it would take more than one displaced demon to tear her from him again.

Shaking his bangs in front of his eyes, he slide back into his favored Battoujitsu stance and waited.

Shishio did not disappoint.

As their blades tangled, Kenshin closed everything out of his mind except the twisting of steel and the faint, careful heartbeat of his mate.

Kenshin rolled into his attack, his hand grasping the hilt of his Katana as he prepared to pull it out in lightening fast draw that had -partially- earned him his nickname.

However, that was before the world shook under foot and he felt Kaoru's sharp stab of pain. Quickly he pulled himself out of the attack and managed to dodge Shishio's blade.

Growling, he kept a careful eye on Shishio as he felt for Kaoru.

There.

Re-sheathing his blade, he settled back into his attack position, readjusting his weight to come at Shishio in a different attack.

Kaoru and him where going to have a long talk on this was over, that they would.

* * *

Soujiro wasn't sure what was worse. The fact that he was facing Kenshin's ex-brother in law who was officially nutters, or the fact that he was a fast and unhealthily insane, reminding him of a younger version of himself many years ago.

And -honestly- who was that flexible?

Soujiro grunted as he felt the air around him twist in the manner that warned him when Enishi planned to use that -one- particular move of his and he danced out of the way.

He was dragging this out and he knew it.

"Enishi, is this really necessary?" Soujiro questioned tightly as he eyed the younger man's crazed blue eyes.

Enishi laughed. "Far too long have I lived without my sister and I shall finally be able to bring her home."

And with a sick and startling clarity did Soujiro realize exactly what this entire fight was about.

A person was only reborn when they wanted to be, their souls deciding if there was something worth brining back to this world. Kaoru had needed Kenshin, Kenshin had called for her in a way Soujiro could not imagine feeling, and she reappeared - Misao hanging on her coattails.

However, Tomoe, in all the years that Kenshin and the others had lived, was never once reborn. Soujiro could not imagine living in the world waiting for his sister, knowing he could change her and bring her back into his life for eternity.

Nevertheless, neither she nor Akira had wanted that, or so it appeared. Soujiro wondered if, perhaps, Tomoe was waiting on Enishi before she was reborn, so they could all walk the paths of -mortality- together.

In addition, if the faintest touch of white plum on the air meant anything, he was correct.

Tomoe somehow wanted to give Enishi a fresh start.

"Sister -will- smile again." Enishi hissed in delusional laughter.

Soujiro agreed with him. "Yes, but not in this lifetime, I will not let you turn you sister into some half crazed Zombie who needs to feed off death to live."

In order for Tomoe to be brought back to life she had to have a host body and she had to feed of the life force of someone. The only person here who could possible fit the description of Tomoe in a physical sense was Kaoru. Her -frame- was the correct size, although the girls looked nothing alike.

Soujiro would not let that happen.

Enishi went very still. "You can not stop me." His voice was void of any emotion and Soujiro suppressed a shiver. He knew that voice, knew that sound.

So be it.

Allowing the last of his emotions to fold under his will he slipped into his own Battoujitsu stance. "Yes, I will."

Enishi laughed then, the flat sound crazed and incoherent. "Her rebirth had been assured."

Soujiro grinned. "As has your death this night."

Sometimes stealing lines was perhaps the only way to prove a point.

* * *

Dodge right. Then left, and now up the middle. Fire gun. Duck.

Some things made life worth living, such as Tsubame's very shy smiles. Some things made life -very- painful. Such as knife buried in his shoulder, the irritating comments coming from his friends and the soft muttering of 'Aku, Zoku, Zan.'

He -really- should have bought stock in that aspirin company a few years ago.

Yahiko fired his gun until he was out of rounds. He had no idea how much time was left, as he had smashed his watch a few minutes ago, the pieces currently digging into his wrist, but to him it felt like there was a lifetime of fighting remained.

He had fought on this same damn street for a million years. It was a never ending nightmare that would continue to whisper across his skin and haunt his mind until he knew it was over.

This, it felt like, was never going to happen.

He absently wondered how Tsubame was doing.

Yahiko felt a Katana race at his neck, and ducked. Saitoh's Japanese sword buried itself in the side of a beast that had been heading towards his throat.

"Ahou, perhaps you should watch your back?" The sarcastic remark hid the tense undercurrents of worry in the wolf's voice and Yahiko stifled a grin.

"Don't give the wolf anything to gloat over later." Sano warned. His voice implied that he would let Kaoru know all the bad things he had been up to in the last lifetime if he did so.

"Rooster brains, perhaps we should offer you to the wolves as a sacrifice so that the brat and I can get some well-earned respite after this fight." Saitoh retorted darkly.

Sano just sighed and slammed a fist into the spine of yet -another- wolf.

The clock continued to tick.

* * *

Yumi glared at Aoshi, both desperately searching for that chink in the spiritual armor that would finally fell their opponents.

Mediation had been good for Aoshi. It had taught him how to fight his battles on more than one plane. Ghosts, he saw now, were easily dealt with. Yumi -it seemed- had as much experience as even he had, in one form or another.

Sitting around watching Shishio plan for his retaking of earth seemed to not be all she had done. Aoshi watched her, the inborn gift of fighting not within her. No, it had been her sacrifice when she tossed herself into the Battousai's blade that had opened this path to her.

He, Shinomori Aoshi, would end it.

"You can't win this fight Yumi-san. Your grounding is not nearly as strong as mine."

Yumi shook her head, her wine colored eyes darkening. "I don't have to be. I just have to hold you off for another three minutes and I win this fight."

Aoshi felt the old blood rage fill his senses as the tainted Ki of the environment called for him to use. Forcing it back, he glared at her. "I have Misao within my finger tips and you will not interfere with that."

Yumi shot her chin up. "I will aid Shishio-sama. That foolish Kamatari shall not touch what is mine."

Aoshi snorted. "And tell me Yumi do you really think that Kamatari, if he wins, will allow Enishi to pull you into this world?"

Yumi stiffened. "Shishio-sama…"

"Will have no say," Aoshi broke in, his voice ice as he grew impatient. "You are a fool Yumi."

In that split second, Yumi faltered.

Aoshi attacked.

* * *

Kenshin wasn't sure what happened, one minute their blades were crossed in a valiant tussle, the next, Shishio was gone.

Left to protect Yumi.

Kenshin frowned at the uncharacteristic move.

Something was wrong.

* * *

Kaoru picked herself up and shook her aching head. She heard Misao groan from somewhere behind her. Turning, she froze at what she saw.

Kamatari was -glowing-. Not something was should have been physically possible.

"I shall not lose!"

Then he was gone.

Grabbing Misao, Kaoru hauled her to where she could feel the building Ki.

"Kenshin," Kaoru snarled both mentally and physically as she pulled the half comatose girl along with her.

She would get there in time.

* * *

One minute they where all standing there, the next they where gone, leaving the men to wonder where the wolves were. Yahiko had but a moment to consider this as an arm grabbed him by the back of the jacket and yanked him forward.

That was when he felt it.

An aura filled with enough blood Ki and hate to fill several blood moons.

Kamatari.

Turning, he put all his effort, and remaining blood, into running.

He only hoped they could make it.

* * *

Soujiro stiffened a fraction before he removed Enishi's head and pulled the attack off. He did knick his throat but both men failed to notice.

It was the glowing figure that stood in front of Yumi with a pulsating sword that caused them to gape.

"You have got to be shitting me." Soujiro moaned. This night couldn't get any worse.

If Yumi was killed, it was going to send some rather nasty waves into this area, possibly fueling Kamatari into a crazed frenzy, making him nearly impossible to stop.

Enishi gave a high pitched laugh and moved towards the prone figure of the girl, that in the fight, they had all forgotten about. Rei's sister was going to die.

Kenshin, seeing where Shishio was headed and sensing the presence of his friends, turned and started to move forward when several things happened at once.

Kaoru and Misao broke free of the line of buildings, not far from where Kamatari stood next to Yumi.

Yahiko almost ran over Soujiro in his attempt to stop Kamatari, with Saitoh and Sano right behind him, and their momentum sending everyone into a pile on the floor.

Enishi plunged the dagger into the girl's chest, causing the world to be tossed into flames and blood.

Kamatari lunged for Yumi, his eyes glowing blood red with hate.

Shishio stood in front of Yumi, -fading- from view even as the pulse from Enishi grew stronger.

That was when she appeared.

'_Tomoe_' Kenshin thought desperately as he saw the pristine image of his first wife materialize before him. He didn't know who to look at - Kaoru, who was in danger of the backlash from Kamatari, or Tomoe, the one woman who's forgiveness he had never asked.

Could never ask.

_'Go Anata, I shall handle this one. Save her. She loves you as I never could.'_

It was an order. He had never denied Tomoe anything in the past, and now, he was willing to let her do as she would. Kaoru was his to protect now, not Tomoe.

He started towards Kaoru, never seeing Tomoe touch Enishi, never seeing the Blood Ki suddenly disappear; he never even saw Kamatari reach to stab Yumi as Shishio faded completely.

All he saw was the dark churning of power that was headed straight for Kaoru, a cloud full of enough Blood Ki that it would override her abilities to purify it, and it would kill her.

He felt, rather than saw, Aoshi moving next to him.

Tackling Kaoru, he wrapped his life force as tightly around her as he could. Even then he could feel it eating at his defenses, but their best hope was to stay wrapped around each other in an attempt to defend against it.

He caught the faintest sent of White Plum.

_'Be happy Anata. I am.'_

Then the world turned white.

Kaoru blinked rapidly as the world righted itself. The first thing she noticed was the blood red hair that covered her face, and the weight that was slowly cutting the air out of her lungs.

"Ken…shin." Kaoru managed in a gasp.

Kenshin rolled into a sitting position and kept his face buried in her neck. "I thought I -told- you to stay away from this fight." Kenshin growled. "Do you realize that you could have died?"

Kaoru grinned. "And when have I ever listened to anything you have ever told me?"

Kenshin pulled back to glare at her, but the glare died when he got a good look at her face. It was littered with fast healing cuts and bruises, her lip slit from the impact with the ground thanks to Misao's explosion.

She was still beautiful.

"What happened?" Kaoru question ruefully as Kenshin helped her stand. There where groans coming from everyone around them and Kenshin sighed as he tucked her against his side.

"Yumi-dono was allowed to be a specter of sorts because of her sacrifice for Shishio many years ago. It seems Tomoe was allowed that same honor, because of the manner of her death." He closed his eyes as he cradled her close. "She stopped Enishi."

Kaoru felt her eyes widen.

"Oh."

Aoshi stood holding Misao, who seemed to be arguing with him, and walked over.

Kaoru snickered when she caught the tale end of there argument.

"…and you shall never use explosives again!"

"AOSHI-SAMA," Misao shrieked in disbelief, causing those around her to wince at the volume of her cries.

"Man will you please keep it down Weasel-girl? Some of us are trying to recover from a very trying moment."

"Shut up Rooster-head! Saitoh, why have you not stabbed him yet?"

"Headache, do any of you understand the word headache?"

"Just SHUT UP Chan-boy!"

"Ahou."

"Saitoh-san, be nice."

"Smiley-chan."

"Hey!"

Kenshin watched his friends pull themselves together and he sighed. Placing an arm around Kaoru's waist, he breathed the scent of Jasmine in. "Let's go home."

* * *

_Thwap_

"What was that for Fox?"

_Thwap_

"Would you stop that?"

"I can't believe you went and broke the bones in your hand again! Do you understand nothing of how your bones break? You hit a solid object, they break."

_Thwap_

Kenshin settled closer to Kaoru and watched as Megumi and Tsubame fussed over those who had been wounded. Kaoru's cuts, while minor and mostly closed, had been rubbed with cream to keep them clean until they finished healing.

Saitoh had left not long after they had all stumbled into the Aioya and been shoved into chairs and handed hot cups of tea. He had murmured something about checking on his wife.

Kenshin was suddenly very glad that he was only reborn every couple of hundred years.

"So Tomoe saved us?" It was Misao's voice, and it was strangely subdued.

Kaoru settled her head against his shoulder in silent comfort and Kenshin squeezed her hand. Any pain he could have felt for his first wife had long since disappeared thanks to Kaoru, and Tomoe herself had told him she was happy.

Perhaps she had found Akira after all.

"Yes." Kenshin answered.

Misao frowned thoughtfully. "I wonder if she was the Lady that Rei said she saw that first night."

Kaoru sat up straight against Kenshin and looked surprised. "I had forgotten about that!"

Misao grinned at everyone's shocked features. "I guess this means that Tomoe had been keeping an eye on things for a while now then, huh?"

Yahiko shook his head. "And to think, here we all thought that Ghosts didn't exist."

Aoshi calmly kept his smile, as usual, to himself.

Kenshin sighed and looked out the window, and felt what could have been the faintest of touches against the scars on his cheek.

_'Heal well, and goodbye Anata.'_

Megumi finished wrapping Sano's fingers and looked around. She could have sworn she heard something. Shrugging she sighed. "So what do we do here from now?"

They all blinked comically at each other. The Oniwabanshu was back together and changed, thanks to Aoshi and Shura. Kenshin had Kaoru, Aoshi had Misao, and Sano, Megumi, Yahiko, and Tsubame were all happy and mated.

What did they do from here?

Kenshin grinned. "Live. In the most peaceful way possible, at least until the next Blood Moon."

Aoshi smiled a very small and very secret smile. Things around this group of individuals were never peaceful for long.

* * *

_A answer to a Question._

_How does the Oniwabanshu/Kenshin/Yahiko/Soujiro change from human to vampire without being mated?_

If you notice in whatever chapter Misao is changed, Aoshi does not take her as his mate. This is possible because being changed is only a matter of mutating a person's Ki and other things (lets not really go into an explanation of everything!) The mating ritual does not necessarily change a person, but if a Human is changed at that point and mated at the same time, it is easier because the other half can help/ease the process thanks to the binding ceremony. It's just a matter of how you alter or tie the Ki.

So there is no Kenshin/Hiko love effect or Aoshi/Oniwabanshu/Misao harem. Amusing thought however…

I do plan on one day going back and rewriting a few things, so I shall attempt to make that clearer.


	17. Chapter Seventeen

And its finished....pauses, listens to sighs of relief...

Okay so it has a taken me more than a year to finish this story, but its done! Complete...done! I hope that in the long run everyone is happy with this story, as its the very first Rurouni Kenshin story I ever wrote. You notice that its not the first one I finished....

Moving on! Its done so all my times is now beign spent on a dozen or so stories I am thinking about posting, and Amber Linigns and Twisted. Who knows where those two are going to lead us! I hope that you all enjoy this one and final segment of Blood Dawn!

This verion isn't edited yet, so once again DEAL! I shall reload it as soon as it is, since I know you all want this chatper.

Ravyn

**Warning: This story alludes to SEX! There is only suggestions as this story is not based on that part of there relashanship! There are hints to activities. If that bothers your, DO NOT READ! It is mature content! A**lthough its more sappy than sulty, but there you go!

* * *

Kaoru racked a hand through her bangs, her eyes tired. You would think, after two hundred years of little to no sleep, she would be used to it.

Kenshin certainly didn't need the hours of sleep her body seemed to crave. Tossing her long braid over her shoulder, Kaoru headed to the one place she had wanted to be all day.

And it wasn't in bed, sleeping.

"Hello precious." Kaoru crooned, reaching down to scoop her three-month-old daughter in her arms. Little Miki was apple of her daddies' eye; the little princess.

Miki open wide blue-violet eyes and sucked sleepily on her thumb. She drooled appreciably at her mother, reaching up to hang onto her mother's long hair.

"Did you miss mommy?" Kaoru questioned as she moved into the nursery, throwing a grin of thanks at Megumi, and moved to sit in a rocking chair to feed her child.

Kaoru had a stern policy when it came to feeding her child. Some woman believed in three months, but Kaoru had fed Kenji until he was six months old, and she intended to do the same with all her children.

Kaoru enjoyed the act, and understood some did not. Besides, the bond it created between her Kenji, now her and Miki, was something she loved.

Kaoru smiled as she heard the sounds of her husband, followed by the sounds of six-year-old Kenji wrestling with his father.

They had been forced to go and handle a few incidents over the years, there responsibility to their race as they were considered the final voice of authority.

Besides, they had enjoyed the excuse to travel. Up until a few years ago, when Kaoru had discovered she was pregnant with Kenji, they had no desire to stay in one place.

Kenshin had shown Kaoru the world. A cruise around Italy, a week in Greece to explore the temples; a trip to Egypt to see the pyramids. Florence was gorgeous during the fall, and Kenshin had never failed to keep her on her toes.

Both had been delighted with Kaoru's pregnancy, Kenshin declaring it the first of ten –Kaoru didn't think so- and loved the little boy with there whole hearts.

Little Miki was born six years later to the happy parents delight, and Kaoru new the look in her husband's eyes well. He adored his little Princess, and the way he eyed her promised her wanted more.

"Your daddy and Kenji seem to be having fun." Kaoru whispered as she burped her little bundle. The greatest fear she had was someone attempting to use her child against them, but her husband had quickly destroyed any threat.

Very few people were crazy enough to go after the Battousai's family. To many others had been sent back in jam jars to prove his warning.

Kaoru burped Miki with a practiced hand that allowed her to concentrate on the little girl, but also allowed her mind to wander.

Tonight was the second Blood Moon of their marriage. Hiko was coming from Kyoto to watch the children while Kenshin and she disappeared into a suit of rooms they owned. Kenshin had invested in many hotels –many different names- and they would use that to there advantage tonight.

Actually, she figured that Hiko would have his hands full. Aoshi and Misao's twin boys –Akio and Mitsu- who were both eight and rambunctious.

Kaoru and Misao had decided to have their children near each other, wanting the little children to have playmates who could match each other in strength.

As it was, Tsubame and Yahiko were currently off celebrating the news of her first pregnancy. Megumi and Sano had a son who was going to turn twenty in a few days.

They also had a daughter, who had just turned fifteen and was causing her father all sorts of complications. The two youngest were nine and eleven, and Megumi spent most of her time patching them up. The two boys wrestled, boxed and destroyed everything around them in an attempt to be just like the father they adored.

Kaoru turned and headed to the living area so that Kenshin could kiss his daughter good night. He also put Miki to bed and Kaoru would wrestle Kenji into the bath.

Kenshin and Kaoru shared a loving kiss as they switched children, Kaoru scooping her miniature Kenshin into her arms.

"Lets go little dragon, time for a bath!" Kaoru told her son with a laugh as he squirmed and whined.

Half an hour later, a clean Kenji was wrestling with the mountain of man name Hiko. Kaoru pitied the man, but he seemed to have an infinite love of children and Kaoru wished him the world of luck.

Since adopting Rei as his own, Hiko has seemed to mellow out some. He and Rei were as close as any father-daughter relationship that Kaoru could remember seeing in her many years.

Was had grown into a fine young woman, her walk between both worlds pulling those around her into a series of adventures that could have given Hiko gray hair had he been human.

She was a delightful person to be around and had formed lasting bonds with them all, filling the shoes of the dearly loved Ayami and Suzume from so many years ago. She had an odd assortment of 'Aunts' and 'Uncles' and considered Kenshin and Kaoru as her brother and sister.

It had come to be a great surprise, however, when Soujiro had shown up one day and asked Hiko for permission to court the young Vampire.

Hiko had told him no. Soujiro asked every year for the last hundred, in a sort of game. Kaoru had always suspected that Hiko was waiting until Rei's two hundredth birthday before he allowed any male near her, and it seemed as if both Soujiro and Rei were willing to wait.

Kaoru and Misao had kept tabs on the possible Shura and Soujiro romance, but neither seemed to want to extend it past there friendship. So when Shura disappeared into the orient, it came as no surprise that Soujiro had never followed her.

So he had trained a replacement for himself at the Agency and simple disappeared for a few years, and then showed back up changed, and willing to make himself into the group.

Kaoru stretched tiredly and sighed into the warm night air of the busy streets of Tokyo. Warm, supply hands slid down her arms to grasp her hands, a warm body pressing against her back.

"Kenji is going to drive Hiko crazy." Kaoru informed her husband softly. Her head fell backward to rest against his shoulder.

His beloved profile as sharp in the dying light, his multi-colored gaze warming as he stared at her. "Miki is so young…" His tone was hesitant and Kaoru grasped his arms and laughed.

"Lets go worry wart before you decide to stay. We have two children…we are getting a night of free; inhibited sex and you want to back out. If anything goes wrong Rei will call us, she has the number to the room we decided on." Her voice as light, belaying her own protective tendencies.

Her husbands eyes had glazed over slightly at her words and Kaoru decided if he was going to move at all, desperate measures were going to have be taken.

Snuggling into his chest she stood on tiptoe and began planted a series of kisses up his neck, grazing his color bone with her teeth, before biting his ear tenderly. "You, me, hotel room…no kids. And sex, lots of it if you would hurry up and get…" Her words died off with laughter as he swung her up, her words getting the desired effects. His eyes were molten gold and flarring as she watched him mentally go over the fastest way to the hotel. Traffic was horrendous, so he turned and ran.

Kaoru leaned forward to whisper some very naughty things into her husband's ear that had him groaning and muttering dark things under his breath as he ran. His golden gaze promised retribution.

It only took a matter of moments to reach their hotel, to grab their keys and to loose themselves in silken skin of each other.

* * *

Misao hummed as she unbraided her long hair, whishing that her husband's warm hands were there to help. He adored her hair and would spend hours brushing it out.

Well that had been before she gave birth to twin terrors, giving them little time for more than a chaste kiss or a playful grope in a dark corner, praying that there children would sleep though there nap time.

Being mated to Aoshi had been everything that Misao had dreamed of, her happiness complete now that she had the little boys she always wanted. She supposed that most woman wanted little girls, but Misao wanted boys…she couldn't wait till they were old enough for football.

But Misao had a secret that she had been harboring for a few days now, waiting to conform it with Megumi before she informed her husband. Aoshi adored his son's, his eyes taking on a gleam each and every time they ran up to there father, huge smile plastered to there faces.

Misao knew, however, that he yearned for a little girl to spoil. Misao had been delighted with two children, and never really thought about having another until Kaoru had given birth to a girl.

The naked –or at least for her- longing on Aoshi's face as he held Kenshin's daughter for the first time had brought her up short. She had been so selfish, never asking him if he wanted another.

Misao couldn't wait to tell him she was pregnant. She knew –a mothers intuition- that she was having a girl, and it would bring that wonderful fire to her lovers eyes.

She knew he couldn't feel the child, most children didn't devolped their own Ki till the later months of pregnancy, and so her surprise would be genuine.

Misao absently began tying her knee-length hair back into its braid when a rich voice stopped her hands.

"Leave it."

Misao smiled, turning. "It will get tangled."

He moved forward, his hand straying to the thick mass of black hair that fell around her tiny form in a curtain of silk.

"I will brush it out." He reached down to kiss her persuasively and she decided that her hands had much more interesting things to handle than her unruly hair.

Misao broke the kiss, knowing that if she didn't get her news out soon, her husband would steal her breath when she attempted it later.

"Wait!" Misao begged as he picked her up, his movements towards the large bed clear in its intent.

"Yes?" His words were smoky, heated, and he continued forward and settled them both on the comfortable large bed, her in his lap.

Misao hesitated, concentrating on her husband's defined chest instead of his eyes. "Are you happy?"

He looked down at her curiously, his eyes questioning. Misao starred at him innocently, her eyes huge. Her husband didn't know of her knowledge of his wish for another child, and Misao had no intention of telling him.

"Of course. You and the boys are the reason I breathe Misao. What has brought this on?" His tone was curious; his emotions clear on his face. Misao loved it when he was like this, showing her everything about him. Only she and the boys ever saw this part of him.

"Well its just…I mean…"Misao chewed on her lip for a moment while her husband smoothed her bangs. "There is going to be a change, I just hope your okay with it!"

Aoshi frowned. "Misao…"

Misao smiled then, her brightest more brilliant smile. "I'm pregnant." He would have his revenge later for her drawing it out like this…but the way his eyes lit, and the slow smile that faced his features made it worth it.

She would have ten more children if he looked at her like that every time. His mouth met hers in a crushing force, even as his hand slipped down to her still smooth waistline, his fingers brushing the soft skin of her stomach.

No words were needed as he mentally told her how beautifully she was, how smart and precious to him she was. Misao lost herself in the safety of her husband's arms, content that her surprise had gotten her the wanted effect.

* * *

Megumi was never sure which hand of her husbands she loved more. The one that was bare to her touch and had the tendency to wander, or the smooth cloth covered knuckles that would catch the underside of her breast.

Sano kissed his wife throat in appreciation to her heady moans, and was content to simply hold her. Both were breathing hard, and hands were drawing agonizingly slow patterns against skin they knew intimately.

"How do you think the kids are?" Megumi questioned, remembering Kaoru putting all her breakables away. She had to 'Sano' proof the house before she allowed -any- horseplay in her living room.

Megumi couldn't blame her. Her youngest boys were not only active, but in a constant contest with Kenji, Aiko, and Mitsu to see who was the most 'worthy' of there beloved Hiko's attention.

More often than not, Hiko would play the dangerous and evil dragon while Rei languished away and waited for her hero's. The boys competed heavily and were a force to be reckoned with to any outside interference to their games.

Megumi knew that she was looking at the future defenders of the carefully guarded peace. It was in the dangerous way they tracked Hiko, in the bonds that they had already formed.

They didn't know it of course, but Hiko's games were to teach stealth, friendship, and teamwork to their young minds. There were also getting 'baby tactics' as Misao called it.

Her thoughts were cut off, however, when her husband's mouth began to wander along her collarbone. "If you finished brooding about our clutch, then perhaps I can occupy your thoughts with something else."

Megumi gave a soft sigh as his mouth brush the silky skin between her breasts and she was happily diverted by her husband's attention.

* * *

"Who would have thought!?" Rei teased as she collapsed onto the Kamiya's couch, her face flushed with laughter still. "We got them into bed, and its not even midnight!"

Hiko grunted, his eyes closed in bliss at the silence. "The little monsters."

Rei giggled, her head lolling back into the pillows. "To think, one day I am going to have to deal with my own!"

"Yours won't have the insane urge to tackle flying dragons, or deal death blows to mountains. I am sure they will all be completely sane, not like this crazy brood."

Rei grinned. "Miki was a doll. She was perfectly content to suck on her fist, and dropped off as soon as I put her to bed. Precious little girl that she is."

"Trouble. She is going to give my baka deshi gray hairs, and I shall delight in every moment of it."

Rei shot her father –for all purposes- a wicked grin. "Are you saying I was trouble?"

"Of the worst kind. If I may remind you, you have that scamp Soujiro beating my door down once a year, and don't think I don't see you to sneaking around."

Rei laughed outright at that. "There really is no getting around you is there?"

Hiko peaked one eye open. "No."

Rei shrugged. "Its not as if we are tyring to hard as it is. When –are- you going to give us permission to date?"

"Koneko, if you didn't have my permission then that young scamp would need more than god like speed to escape me. If you wish it, however, next time he asks, I shall give him permission to court you."

Rei sat up, surprise on her face.

"On one condition." His face was decidedly series.

"Anything." Rei breathed.

"I want lots of grandbabies. I am giving you two three years max to enjoy marital bliss, you have been scampering around each other for fifty or so years." Hiko said in all seriousness and Rei squealed and bounded over to hug her beloved father.

"Love you!" She whispered, hugging his massive frame, tears catching at her lashes.

Hiko gruffly echoed the sentiment and watched her bounce to the phone, no doubt to call her lover.

Hiko leaned back, suddenly curious as to whom fate would bring into his life next; first a baka deshi and then a daughter…

* * *

Kaoru sighed into her husbands shoulder, there bodies pressed against each other. The room smelled of sweat and sex, the combined aroma of there preferred scents.

Kaoru moved closer to her husband, the warm afterglow of there lovemaking leaving her sated and content. "Kenji's birthday is coming up." Kaoru whispered as his hands rose to play with long strands of her hair.

"Yes it is. He has been asking for a sword for two years. If you dont mind, I was thinking about giving him a shinai or bokken and starting him on the barest basics of Hiten Mitsurgui." Kenshin replied just as softly, his mind brushing hers lovingly. "I hope he will be responsible enough to start using live steel when he hits thirteen."

Kaoru tilted her head, her eyes thoughtful. "Seven…it's not to early. Maybe it will work some of that energy out of him. Both of us started our swordplay at an early age, if you think he is ready then I don't object." Her eyes were bright with the idea, anything settle her little boy down.

She suddenly wondered how Hiko had dealt with Kenshin if he had a tenth of the energy of her son.

Kenshin watched his wife muse over thoughts that were hers alone, her mouth twisting into a half smile. He loved the way she would quirk one side of her mouth upwards, her eyes darkening with laughter.

Much the way her eyes would darken right as he took her. Deciding that while her thoughts were important so was that full bottom lip of hers. Eyes flashing amber he watched her lips part in a sigh and decided waiting was a bad idea.

Lowering his head he lovingly sucked on the lower half of her mouth, contentment raising in him as he felt her arms circle his bare back, her nails scrapping slowly over his skin.

This was what he had fought for, in those endless years of battles. The naked, warm, and so giving woman in his arms and the two children in the protection of his Shishou back at his house.

Kenshin let his train of thought slid away as he concentrated on the taste and feel of his wife, content to tease the purr he loved so from the back of her throat.

Hours later the sun was rising and the two were walking hand in hand back to the home they shared. They were pausing at a stop light when the site that met there eyes topped them dead in there tracks.

A woman, beautiful in her cool beauty was walking next to a man with a small boy between them. Even though the woman was aloof there was a smile hovering in her eyes, as though she had everything she wanted.

She turned then, her eyes finding there in the crowds. She smiled, her hand rising in a silent salute, before she turned back to the boy.

"Come," Kaoru heard her call, the voice loud enough for there sensitive hearing to catch. "Enishi, we must be going if we are going to make your game."

The little boy beamed and caught her hand. "Nee-san, do you think we will win?"

"Of course." Her voice was affirmative, but held affection. "Of course."

Kenshin and Kaoru were silent as they slipped into the masses, neither making a move to go after them.

"Damn." Kaoru mused. "Wouldn't have expected that."

Kenshin wrapped his arm around her shoulders, his look thoughtful. "She seems happy. The man next to her must have been Akira. I hope they have things easier this time, since I won't be around to ruin it."

Kaoru swatted his stomach. "But think, Kenshin-anata, if you hadn't interfered as you say, you would never have found me!"

He turned her, shielding them from the eyes of those around them on reflex, his other hand cupping her jaw. "Something I think Kami-sama for every time I think of it." He lowered his head and kissed her, uncaring that they were in the middle of a busy Tokyo, that Hiko was most likely ready to hand his children back to them.

Her mouth was pressed to his, her arms around his neck, and he found that he didn't wish to be anywhere else. This was home.

The End.


End file.
